Newsonomics: Inside Tronc’s Sale of the L.A. Times (And All The New Questions To Come

Patrick Soon-Shiong has finally won his hometown prize. After a number of years of trying to buy his local paper, Los Angeles’ richest billionaire has seized an unpredictable opportunity. In a move that’s shocking but not really surprising, 65-year-old Soon-Shiong will pay a chunk of ...

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Newsonomics: Mitra Kalita Leaves L.A. Times for CNN

The Los Angeles Times has just lost an important digital leader, as S. Mitra Kalita — just named as one of the ten most poachable players in media — leaves her job as managing editor for digital strategy of the paper to become vice president of digital programming at CNN, starting later this ...

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Newsonomics: The Financialization of News Is Dimming the Lights of the Local Press

There’s a nice scene in Hail, Caesar!, the Coen brothers’ latest movie, in which one Hollywood character astutely observes: “We’re not talking about money — we’re talking about economics.” Indeed. This year’s crazy-making U.S. presidential election further illuminates and blurs that divide. ...

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Tribune Publishing Builds a Southern California War Chest

Chicago entrepreneur Michael Ferro will soon move across town, into the third-floor chairman’s suite in the legendary Tribune Tower. Yes, he’ll be 16 floors below Tribune Publishing CEO Jack Griffin, and the Tower is for sale anyway, but his new presence there will be something to watch. On ...

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Apollo Seeks Purchase of Tribune — and Possible California Sell-Off

Is Rupert right? Friday afternoon, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch tweeted the following message: “Strong word Tribune newspaper group to be bought by big Wall St firm, LA Times to go to philanthropist Eli Broad and local group.” He’s talking about a deal that has been brewing for at least a ...

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Southern California Roll-up Gains Impetus, as Orange County Register Declares Bankruptcy

Today, the Orange County Register’s parent Freedom Communications Inc. said it would file for bankruptcy protection Monday, at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Santa Ana. The long-expected move (which I’ve recently noted) further sets the stage for the continuing ...

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Newsonomics: 10 Questions into 2016, Including Ad Blockers, Watson, TPUB and Particles

Everyone’s got questions. CNBC’s crew faced the Republican Ten for about an hour last evening until finding themselves in a no-man’s land. In front of them were the candidates who turned the tables on them, asserting that old standby “media bias.” Behind them was a very un-Boulder-like audience ...

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Tribune Publishing Prepares to Play More Defense

After a mid-month lull, the drama of Tribune Publishing’s future is becoming more public again — on both coasts, and at the mothership in Chicago — highlighting a company still on the defensive. On Sunday, recently fired L.A. Times Publisher and would-be Times buyer Austin Beutner will get a ...

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Behind The Scenes of the L.A. Times Buyout Drive

Veteran Los Angeles Times staffers looked at Page One today and believed the company had sent them a strong message, on this, the long-awaited day when buyouts were announced in the newsroom. Encircling Page One, an all-enveloping American Airlines ad, which left room for three stories on the ...

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Newsonomics: L.A. Consequential

It’s a trademark line of Austin Beutner’s: “I cannot imagine Los Angeles without a vibrant L.A. Times.” As anyone who follows media knows, the Los Angeles Times publisher’s imagination short-circuited the day after Labor Day, when he was fired by Tribune Publishing CEO Jack Griffin (“Tribune to ...

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