Strategist Anna Magzanyan Joins Dr. Soon-Shiong to Grow the LA Times

Background

Magzanyan’s father’s family is from Musa Dagh and her mother’s side from Zeytun. Her family left Yerevan for the United States in 1980, when she was only 4. She grew up in Los Angeles and attended various American private schools, but was sent by her parents to Armenian Saturday school. She said, “My parents were proud of our Armenian heritage. We had to read and write in Armenian, and follow Armenian traditions. My goal is to continue this tradition with my children.”

“I am a very proud Armenian living in America. Nothing more special than meeting other Armenians around the world and discovering their background. I love my country as much as I love my home in America,” Magzanyan said.

She tries to visit Yerevan with her family every year if possible, and if not, every other year. When they visited Artsakh several years ago, she exclaimed, “I have never seen a more beautiful place. So much history, beauty and peace! Armenia too is so beautiful and what is happening now is breaking my heart.”

Though her children were born in the United States, they have been going to Armenian day school from the start of their education. She said, “I love that they know all the Armenian hymns, songs and prayers. It is a very essential part of who we are and I embrace it daily.”

She added that she supports Armenian fundraising causes, and “when the time comes that I need to speak up, I speak up.”

Magzanyan went to California State University, Northridge and graduated with a psychology degree in 1997. As she tried to figure out what she would enjoy doing, she said she stumbled into media as her first job. She tried the agency client side, doing marketing and advertising, and then eventually went into the publishing world. She also earned an MBA from the University of La Verne.

Prior to her current position at the LA Times, Magzanyan was publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Business Journal for three years, where she increased its revenue and profit. She also has served in executive positions at the Hollywood Reporter and iHeartRadio. She has consulted for Omni Media and the Houston Chronicle. Prior to joining publishing, she worked in the media managing brands such as Ketel One, Crystal Cruises, Tourism New Zealand and Singapore Airlines.

Los Angeles Times Coverage of Azerbaijan Attacks on Artsakh

Complaints in the Armenian community about the newspaper’s coverage of the current attacks on Artsakh and Armenia by Azerbaijan culminated in a demonstration in front of its offices in El Segundo on October 6, with protestors chanting “Shame on the L.A. Times.” They were upset not only by initial coverage indicating equivalence in the positions of both sides in the fighting, and lower figures of Armenians at Los Angeles rallies than others estimated, but also specifically by the publication of a quotation on October 5 from Nasimi Aghayev, consul general of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, who said, that Armenia and its allies were promoting “racist and white supremacist propaganda.”

Magzanyan made it clear that she doesn’t have a say in editorial coverage. While this was not the opinion of the Los Angeles Times reporter, and there were several other quotes from Armenian leaders in the article, she agreed that the Aghayev quote left many Armenian readers in shock and upset. Armenians are a very inclusive people, she said, noting that “Armenians do not promote white supremacy because we are all immigrants and the children of immigrants. Our history was denied by this quote once again.” Following the protest, she observed that the Los Angeles Times reported on all the reasons why the Armenians were protesting in front of the newspaper’s building. As for reporting the number of people present at a protest, she said that it is always difficult to estimate.

The Times, she said, escalated its coverage of what is happening in Artsakh, and as more information came out about Turkey’s involvement and Azerbaijani aggression, it was able to put more stories forward. She said that it is day 13 now (this interview was conducted on October 9), and there have been 13 days of photos and information published (15 articles in all). There are more stories about the history of the region and explanations of what led to the current fighting. Without, in other words, putting a formal correction in the paper, these additional stories have provided the originally missing explanations or context, she said. Additionally, to provide more accurate reporting, the Los Angeles Times has sent a journalist to Artsakh to provide eyewitness reports on the current war.

The Times primarily covers local news and uses various news services to supplement this, but it also has international reporters. “What happens in Artsakh is extremely important to the local Armenian community here. Los Angeles happens to have a large Armenian community, and I am excited that Los Angeles Times is taking their interests into consideration. While staying relevant to its readers, it is essential that the newspaper provides them with coverage that is reliable,” Magzanyan said.

The Power of the Press

It’s a very difficult time for Armenians around the world, declared Magzanyan. “I am a descendant of survivors of the Genocide and seeing Azerbaijan’s aggression with Turkey’s support is very concerning and scary. We need America to get involved and stop the war immediately. Armenia wants peace. We are only 3 million people in Armenia fighting against 10 million Azerbaijanis with the help of Syrian mercenaries and Turkey. We have lost so many soldiers and it breaks my heart daily,” she said.

Magzanyan believes that journalism is necessary to bring awareness to situations and has the power to create change. She said, “I really believe in the power of investigative reporting. It has the ability to get the attention of those in power to initiate change. After all, journalism is important to democracy as it allows the citizens of a country to have information about anything they want to know. Journalists are