Ken Reich: Turn the Rules

Word is spreading fast that ex-LATimer and blogger Ken Reich has died. What's extraordinary is that he apparently spent his last hours protesting what Sam Zell and the Tribune have done to the LA Times.

I did not know Reich well. As colleagues, no more. But we had corresponded in recent days over an amazing task he had taken on himself. For the past week, Reich had been furiously writing mini-biographies of many of the LA Times journalists that have departed the newspaper. He called them "Rolls of Honor." In an email to me a week ago, Reich told me that he was inspired by the -30- lists and wanted to take the project to the next level by specifying the contributions of those on the list. That way, he said, he could show the damage done by Zell, the Tribune and their senseless continuous cuts:

I'm in the project for the next few days of specifying what many of the people on your list did when they were at the newspaper, to make it great.

I responded by praising his work. In response, he sent me this two days ago:

We've all got to keep working at this, in hopes we can get rid of Tribune before the paper is destroyed. Best, Ken Reich

Then, last night, he sent me a final message at 2:16 a.m. to alert me about a post he had just written. It praised calls for action against Zell, including a suggestion of a July 9 Tribune sick out here. It turned out to be his last post.

Folks, Ken literally went down fighting. I'm personally humbled and honored at his final effort. His blog was titled "Take Back the Times." That should now be everyone's focus.

I'd encourage each of you to show a moment of respect, please, for his contribution to us, to his community, to the LA Times, to the cause of journalism.

Update: Lots of posts on Ken. Ed Padgett. LA Observed. Fishbowl LA. The LA Times.

The email on his death follows, from a fellow of member of a group calling itself the
Old Farts Society:

June 30, 2008

Dear OFS Members:

Sad news. Anton Calleia, a close friend of Ken Reich and a fellow OFS member, sent me an e-mail this morning saying that Ken died in his sleep last night. Ken was a retired staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. In his three-plus decades with the newspaper, Ken covered City Hall, wrote a column and was a lead reporter on the 1984 L.A. Olympics coverage.

Those of you who attended last Wednesday's OFS luncheon noticed that Ken arrived and left in a wheelchair, the result of a defibrillator episode he experienced on the last two days of his recent weeks-long cruise around Africa.

The Los Angeles Times obituary desk has been notified of Ken's passing. Funeral details will be sent to OFS members when they become available.

Jerry Clark