The Observer’s Editor Gets Sacked

WRITERS AT THE DALLAS OBserver are still reeling from the “resignation” last month of editor Peter Elkind, who had earned a loyal following among readers for his acid-penned column “BeloWatch” and its relentless pounding of The Dallas Morning News. Elkind was pushed out by Michael Lacey, executive editor of Phoenix-based New Times, Inc., which bought the Dallas weekly about five years ago.

Why was Elkind sacked? True, some staff members chafed at his controlling, brusque style-though many consider him a “dream editor” who challenged them and made them better writers and reporters. Ironically, the answer lies in a collision between Elkind and his star reporter Laura Miller, who had such a close working relationship with Elkind that staffers describe them as “joined at die hip.”

For more than a year, Miller had been guesting on KRLD-AM 1080 during morning drivetime, discussing her columns and investigative stories. On March 27, host Jody Dean introduced Miller as “KRLD’s investigative reporter,” instead of referring to her status at the Observer. Elkind, who had listened in that morning, was furious. The next day, he canceled the arrangement, infuriating Miller.

On April 4, when Lacey and another New Times staffer came into town fora scheduled meeting, Lacey asked Elkind to change his dictate. The editor refused. Fifteen minutes later, Elkind was out.

The KRLD incident wasn’t the only time Elkind put the kibosh on an attempt by Miller to expand beyond the Observer’s arena. In 1994, Channel 4 had approached her about a similar partnership. But on the day Miller and Elkind were scheduled to go to lunch with Channel 4 execs, Elkind ran a story listing the salaries of all Channel 4 employees. Angry, the station managers canceled the lunch. Elkind claimed it was all a coincidence.

When asked about the firing, New Times officials clammed up as tight as any of those high-handed Morning News editors that “BeloWatch” loved to flay. As for Miller, she would only discuss her regrets: “I wish the KRLD thing had never happened between us, ” she says. “Peters departure was a huge shock to me as well as everybody else on the staff. I don’t know how to do my stuff without Peter. “