Assistant Editor, Entertainment News

This role is part of the Los Angeles Times Guild and will be based in El Segundo, Calif. Occasional night and weekend work is expected.

About the role

The Los Angeles Times is seeking an experienced, energetic, and creative journalist to help lead breaking entertainment and sports news coverage on the Fast Break Desk as an assistant editor and occasional writer. This journalist will collaborate with reporters and the Entertainment and Sports Fast Break deputy editor to cover the day’s most important pop culture, celebrity, and entertainment stories, while producing subscriber-exclusive enterprise stories. The role involves writing obituaries and other breaking news items, as well as obtaining and reporting from court documents, coroner reports, and police reports.

We are looking for a journalist who can publish breaking news quickly while also finding fresh takes on stories, working with reporters to develop unique angles that set The Times apart. This editor will contribute to breaking news strategy, story formats, standards, and workflow, and must possess strong coaching and collaboration skills across departments.

Responsibilities

• Assign, edit, and occasionally write breaking news and trending stories across entertainment, including notable deaths, pop culture, and celebrity news.
• Identify unique angles and fresh takes to advance stories beyond what other outlets have reported.
• Write engaging headlines and SEO components tailored for a digital, diverse audience.
• Meet tight deadlines, including brisk turnarounds on edits for multiple news posts daily.
• Collaborate with editorial staff—reporters, editors, photo, social media, and audience engagement teams—to produce stories across all platforms.
• Use designated tools (e.g., CMS, messaging systems) to communicate editorial coverage plans clearly and promptly.
• Offer guidance to staff on conceptualizing, reporting, and writing content to ensure quality, accuracy, and fairness.
• Provide timely verbal feedback and coaching to staff.
• Work closely with the larger Entertainment team to lend expertise and develop deeper storytelling, following up on the day’s news.

Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years of journalism experience; editing experience is mandatory.
• Excellent line-editing skills, combining strong news judgment, fluency in style, and deep knowledge of taste, legal considerations, and the importance of speed, accuracy, and precision in publishing.
• Experience locating and reporting from public records, such as civil and criminal court filings, coroner reports, and police reports.
• An aptitude for navigating digital platforms and staying current with events.
• Proven ability to work well in a team setting and juggle multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment.
• Effective communication skills with peers, supervisors, and the broader newsroom.
• An ethical and inclusive approach that promotes collaboration.
• Versatility and adaptability across production platforms and entertainment subject areas.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, comfortable working with diverse personalities and skill levels across departments.
• A nuanced understanding of audience data and analytics, with a track record of using data to inform coverage decisions.

Pay

The pay scale for this position is $104,421 to $129,069, based on factors including skill set, experience, training, licenses, certifications, and organizational needs.

Benefits

Visit our career site to view the benefits available to our employees.