Philips Exits Times

Layoffs have hit the Los Angeles Times. Notable among the estimated 150 reporters getting pink slips is Chuck Philips.

Philips, a former Rolling Stone journalist, won a Pulitzer at the Times in 1999 for his coverage of corruption in the entertainment business. Over the last few years at the paper, however, he had some setbacks. An article that implicated Biggie Smalls in the death of Tupac Shakur drew criticism.

Earlier this year, the Times had to run a lengthy retraction about another Philips story that erroneously linked Sean Combs to the Shakur murder.

He also has been under criticism for having an alleged professional and personal relationship with private eye Anthony Pellicano and presumably biased reporting on the Pellicano case.

Longtime music writer Richard Cromelin was also let go, as were classical music writer Chris Pasles and music editor-writer Kevin Bronson.