L.A. Times editorial page editor resigns

LOS ANGELES, March 22 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Times editorial page editor resigned Thursday over the paper's decision not to run its Sunday Current section edited by a guest editor.

Andres Martinez said he made his decision after Times Publisher David Hiller said the newspaper would cancel this Sunday's Current section to avoid any appearance that a conflict of interest after Hollywood producer Brian Grazer was tapped as a guest editor, the Times said.

Hiller said he decided to pull the guest-edited Current after consulting with Martinez, Editor James O'Shea and "many other people whose counsel I appreciate."

Martinez had urged that the section run an editor's note, which he would have drafted, to explain the concept and tell readers of his relationship with public relations executive Kelly Mullens. Both he and Mullens denied that their relationship influenced the decision of naming Grazer as guest editor.

Controversy emerged within the paper when it was learned that Martinez and Mullens had been dating. Mullens has worked as a consultant and recently was included in news releases promoting the collaboration between the paper and Grazer.

Hiller said the paper would hustle to create an alternative opinion and editorial section for the Sunday paper.