A Big Move for Me

I've decided to leave the Los Angeles Times after the presidential primaries. It's hard to leave what I believe is the most important newspaper in the world. But after eight years at the Times, it's time for me to explore the journalistic world outside of newspapers.

I have a wonderful opportunity to make a living as an independent writer. To that end, I'm joining the New America Foundation as one of their California fellows. (My exact title will be Irvine senior fellow). It's a non-partisan think tank that supports journalists, among others. You'll see my byline in the LA Times (as a freelancer), in magazines, and elsewhere. I'll have the freedom to follow my reporting nose wherever it leads me, and to write the truth as I see it.

I'll continue to focus on California, its politics, voters, real estate and labor--all topics that I covered in The People's Machine and in my LA Times work. I also plan to blog on direct democracy. It is not yet clear whether that blog will appear on this web site, or on a different site.

Here's the announcement from New America:
Building on his fine work as a political reporter at the Los Angeles Times, Joe will be examining political disengagement in California. He will be studying the interaction between lawmakers and voters, between the initiative and the referendum, and between the state's major interest groups, with a particular focus on labor, real estate, and media.