L.A. Times managing editor steps down

LOS ANGELES, June 29 (UPI) -- Douglas Frantz announced he will step down as managing editor of The Los Angeles Times after nearly two years in the position.

His resignation is effective July 6.

In a story posted on the newspaper's Web site, Frantz said he doesn't have a new job lined up but wants to return to reporting, Variety reported Friday.

"My true love is reporting and writing," Frantz said.

Frantz left The New York Times to join the Los Angeles newspaper in 2003, initially as a foreign correspondent based in Turkey before moving to the No. 2 editing post under former editor Dean Baquet.

Editor James O'Shea called Frantz as "an extraordinary journalist, a tough-minded editor and one of the world's best investigative reporters" in a statement issued by the Times.