The Tribune Company showed the public who's boss with another controversial move: firing its Los Angeles editor Dean Baquet. The prominent dismissal follows the firing of former colleague and publisher Jeffrey M. Johnson last month. The two made a stand in September defying parent company Tribune's request to reduce the Times' editorial staff to 940. Baquest and Johnson felt the paper had made enough editorial staff cuts and another one would affect the quality of the newspaper. Johnson will be replaced by James O'Shea, the managing editor of the Chicago Tribune.
Tribune has been trying to tighten its belt with all its units including the Los Angeles Times in light of a decrease in circulation and advertising. Feuding with management, the Chandler family — a majority shareholder in Tribune — feels that the Chicago-media conglomerate should sell the Times. The newspaper was put on the block but received a tepid response according to Tribune. Offers were made for the newspaper by Los Angeles billionaires Eli Broad, Ron Burkle and media mogul David Geffen but not enough to pique the interest of Tribune.— Gerald Magpily
See Los Angeles Time article
See Chicago Tribune article
See Nov. 2 Dealscape entry
See Oct. 25 Dealscpae entry
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