The Los Angeles Times will produce a prime-time news magazine television series for Charter Communications’ recently launched Spectrum News 1 channel, the newspaper reported Wednesday.
The one-hour show, “L.A. Times Today,” will air Monday through Thursday starting in February and take an in-depth look at the day’s top stories with the paper’s reporters, columnists and photographers, The Times reported.
Spectrum News 1 anchor Lisa McRee, a veteran local newscaster and former co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” will host the series, which is a joint production of the two media organizations. The program will cover news, politics, business, entertainment and sports, and will feature interviews with and stories by Times journalists.
“L.A. Times Today” will include commentary from columnists Steve Lopez, Robin Abcarian and Frank Shyong. It will also feature L.A. history with columnist Patt Morrison, using The Times’ archives.
Additionally, the show will deliver local travel recommendations from longtime Times writer Christopher Reynolds, movie reviews from critics Kenneth Turan and Justin Chang and food segments with editor Jenn Harris and reporter Lucas Peterson.
The deal marks the latest expansion for The Times since biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong bought The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune for $500 million in June.
“The Los Angeles Times has become a 24/7 news operation, and adding an evening television program will give us another way to inform, engage and inspire the people of this great community,” Soon-Shiong said in a statement. “The program also marks another milestone on our journey to revitalizing a great media brand and a new way to share the important work of the largest newsroom west of the Potomac.”
The Times and Spectrum News 1 are both based in El Segundo, where Charter also manages sports channels Spectrum SportsNet and the Dodgers-owned SportsNet LA.