‘LA Times’ Publisher Ousted, Editor to Remain

Jeffrey M. Johnson, publisher of the Los Angeles Times who resisted job cuts in his newsroom when requested to cut staff by parent Tribune Co., has been forced to step down. Editor Dean Baquet, who also resisted cuts and made the stance public in the pages of the newspaper, will remain, at least for now.

Johnson’s refusal to make the cuts stirred a national debate about corporate ownership of newspapers, writes the Los Angeles Times. He has been replaced by David Hiller, publisher of Tribune Co.’s hometown newspaper, the Chicago Tribune.

Tribune Publishing president Scott C. Smith has indicated that he hopes the management change will end speculation that the company plans to sell the Times, saying that the Times is important to Tribune and that there is both a strategic and financial value in continuing to own it.

The decision for Dean Baquet to remain at the Times was made jointly between Baquet and Hiller, who said they would revisit the decision after they had a chance to work together. Hiller says he has no plans as to whether he will follow through with the cuts or not. He did say, however, that he would not have accepted the job if Tribune executives had ordered him to reduce staff by a specific number.