Tribune Company of Chicago has announced that -- in the wake of the resignation of Los Angeles Times editorial pages editor Andres Martinez -- the job will be filled by broadcaster Ryan Seacrest.
Said LA Times publisher David Hiller, "We are thrilled to be tapping into Ryan Seacrest's creative vision. His interests are notoriously wide-ranging, and often unconventional, and his career has been powered by an endless curiosity."
Seacrest, who was voted one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful," as well as one of their 2005 "Most Eligible Bachelors," said in a statement, "I'm looking forward to the challenge of bringing to the people of Los Angeles a rich new mix of ideas and voices. Readers may not always agree, but I dare them not to pay attention."
Martinez resigned amid a controversy over a potential conflict of interest arising from his asking producer Brian Grazer to guest-edit the paper's Sunday March 24 "Current" section, which Hiller has now spiked. Martinez is dating Kelly Mullins, a publicist for Grazer. Said Hiller, "Ryan has assured me no such problem will arise on his watch."
The former publisher of the LA Times, the late Otis Chandler, could not be reached for comment.