Chalk up yet another instance of the Los Angeles Times losing its journalistic integrity and credibility. The latest example comes today when the newspaper changed a Letter To The Editor in order to edit out direct criticism of Calendar staff writer Rachel Abramowitz. Long considered yet another weak link in the LAT‘s already lightweight movie coverage, Abramowitz on June 4th inserted an inappropriately flippant remark about ex-Hollywood P.I. Anthony Pellicano in an article on an unrelated subject. And it pissed off four targets of the now convicted criminal — Anita Busch, Bernie Weinraub, Jude Green and Pamela Miller — and they decided to complain.

The original letter they sent to the newspaper ended with: Yet, Ms. Abramowitz lightly tosses off  “Where is Anthony Pellicano when you need him?” Maybe Ms. Abramowitz would change her tune if she was on the receiving end of a late night death threat phone call. By publishing this, the L.A. Times has sent a message to its readers that what Pellicano did was not only okay, but preferable to fighting legally through the court system.

But what the newspaper printed for the finish was: By publishing the line “Where is Anthony Pelicano when you need him?” the L.A. Times has sent a message that what Pellicano did was not only OK but preferable to fighting through the court system.

The point is that the editors could have decided not to run the letter at all. So, tragically, here’s yet another section of the Los Angeles Times that can’t be believed anymore.   

Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.