Yet Lock, a onetime executive vice president of the City News Service in Los Angeles and an AAJA pioneer, died on Sept. 7 in Sarasota, Fla. He was 83.
“His memory and legacy are inspirations to be celebrated,” said Bill Sing, one of AAJA’s six co-founders and its first national president. “Yet was not one of the original six AAJA founders, but he was an original AAJA board member, instrumental in building the organization through fundraising, leadership and management guidance, industry contacts and good cheer. And he was a pioneer and role model that embodied one of AAJA’s core missions: to develop accomplished Asian American news executives promoting diversity and improved coverage while uplifting new generations of Asian American journalists.”
A graduate of Northwestern University, Lock had worked as a teacher and began his career on the news industry’s business side in 1972 with City News after serving as a top aide to LA Mayor Sam Yorty. The news service provides fast and agenda-setting coverage of official Los Angeles and breaking stories to major outlets across the Southland. Lock had a high-profile interacting with government officials and news executives, notably on contract matters and City News business operations for a remarkable four decades. In his role, he was instrumental in helping Asian Americans find jobs in journalism.
“Yet made huge contributions to journalism,” said David Kishiyama, another AAJA co-founder, “and enabled many Asian Americans to enter the biz and to do great stories over long, productive careers. I remember he was very supportive as AAJA got started” in 1981.
Elaine Woo recalled his key role in her career, saying: “Yet gave me my first job out of college: helping to put out a weekly paper for the downtown LA business community called The Enterprise. I was pretty green and I’m sure I caused him some heartburn. But he was a genuine pro, ethical, thoughtful and attuned to the financial realities of journalism. After a year with Yet, I went on to land a job at the LA Herald Examiner as a feature writer. Later, I was a reporter and editor at the Los Angeles Times for 32 years. I’ll always be grateful to Yet for taking a chance on me.”
Lock, who served at one time as president of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce in downtown, also made his mark in a hectic, sometimes tough business as a gentlemen—a word heard repeatedly in colleagues’ descriptions.
“When I was applying for a fellowship,” said Dickson Louie, an AAJA national treasurer and fellow board member with Lock, “I remember Yet taking the time to not only to write a recommendation, but he personally went out of his way to hand deliver it to me at the Los Angeles Times, where I then worked, and to make sure that I received it. Yet’s thoughtfulness and attention to others were two of his key characteristics that I will always remember.”
“Yet was a gentleman in every sense of the word,” said Richard Fruto, now an attorney and onetime City Hall reporter for City News who served with Lock on AAJA LA chapter boards.
A memorial service is planned for Lock in Sarasota, where he retired in 2012 with June Kim, his actress wife.
Ex-Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President, L.A. News Exec Dies
MyNewsLA.com
Sept. 16, 2019
The former president of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce in downtown Los Angeles who was also possibly the longest-serving news executive in Southern California has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
Former City News Service Executive Vice President Yet Lock was 83.
Lock died Sept. 7 in Sarasota, Florida, where he and his wife, actress June Kim, had lived since Lock retired in 2012.
Lock was also a driving force in the Asian American Journalists Association. The AAJA had honored him for “paving the way for Asian Americans.”
The Los Angeles City Council honored Lock at the time of his retirement after 40 years with City News Service.
City Councilman Paul Koretz introduced a resolution marking July 27, 2012, as “Yet Lock Day.”
Koretz called Lock a “crucial figure” in the history of Los Angeles journalism who helped build CNS into “an amazingly vital and vibrant news agency.”
Lock was the business face of CNS, interacting with news editors and executives at TV, radio, print and internet media that subscribe to CNS.
He also served as a mentor to scores of young journalists during his career.
Lock started with City News Service in 1972 after working as a top aide to former Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty.
“He has institutional knowledge that few others possess about city history, local communities and culture and the ways of government,” Koretz said at the time.
He also noted Lock’s long-time community engagement in the Asian community.
Lock said then that he was “greatly honored by this recognition today, and I will always cherish it.”
Koretz said, “Through steadfast ways and caring deeds, Yet Lock has made Los Angeles a better place in which to work and live.”
Upon Lock’s retirement, CNS Editor Lori Streifler called Lock CNS’ “gentleman news executive.”
“He has always related to the hundreds of CNS subscribers and literally thousands of CNS staff members through the years in a cordial, collegial manner, she said. “At the same time, Yet managed to be effective and highly successful in a key role that helped CNS grow into the professional and trusted wire service that it is today.”
Lock, who graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism, was a public school teacher before joining the Los Angeles mayor’s office. He came to City News Service (www.socalnews.com) from the mayor’s office in January 1972.
A scattering of ashes into the ocean off Sarasota is planned for Oct. 5.