GM stops advertising in LA Times

GM issued a profit warning last month

General Motors (GM) has stopped advertising in the Los Angeles Times in a row over its editorial coverage.

The car-maker, which issued a profit warning last month, did not say how long the ban would last or how much it spent on ads in the paper.

On Wednesday, LA Times published a critical column about the firm in which motor writer Dan Neil called for the sacking of GM chief Rick Wagoner.

The ban followed disputes with "reviews and other articles", the paper said.

In its Friday edition, the newspaper said GM's action came after "strongly voiced objections from our dealers in California about factual errors and misrepresentations".

Editorial 'freedom'

The LA Times, with a circulation of 900,000, is part of the Tribune group, which also publishes the Chicago Tribune and Newsday, and operates 26 TV stations.

It said it was examining the car-maker's concerns.

On Monday, the company announced Mr Wagoner would be taking personal charge of daily operations at its struggling North American division.

GM did not confirm what caused it to stop advertising.

"We recognise and support the news media's freedom to report and editorialise as they see fit," GM spokesman Brian Arke told Reuters.

"Likewise, GM and its retailers are free to spend our advertising dollars where we see fit."