Comment by Zell to employee

I do hope that the writer of the report, Molly Selvin, doesn't get reprimanded for being a journalist, something about which Mr. Zell seems to be clueless as he wanders about the newspaper office in the fog of business profits, knocking down the furniture of good journalism and community service.

Patrick O'Brien

San Juan Capistrano

There's something about Times' owner Sam Zell that makes me worry about the reportorial objectivity I crave in papers like The Times. And I suspect it came into play in his recent put-down of one of his employees: "What I'm interested in is how can we generate additional interest in our products and additional revenue. . . . "

Well, Mr. Zell, though I understand you have to make money to survive, I still would like -- actually, demand -- incisive truth in reporting, without editorial spin, unless the context is stated as editorial.

That's what The Times was heroic for. That's how you're going to make the revenue you want from me, Mr. Zell.

Jim Gould

Burbank

Barrage of ads from drug makers

David Lazarus' article is right on ("Ads spur urge for drugs," Consumer Confidential," Feb. 6). My response: If I have to ask my doctor, as the ads solicit, then I need to find a new doctor.

I disagree, however, that "No one knew at the time how quickly such advertising would expand, or how effective it would become." I'll bet the drug companies did.

Robert Kroll

La Quinta

I have wondered about the appropriateness of pharmaceutical companies appealing directly to the public with prescription drugs. I also wonder about the integrity of doctors who will succumb to patients who demand a prescription just because they heard on TV it's good for them.

I am deaf and use the captions for the hearing-impaired, which has an ironic side effect, as it were. I laugh when the message warns of "severe side effects including loss of consciousness or death" while the scene shows the actors smiling.

Dave Kase

Palos Verdes Estates

'Storefront' tax preparer responds