The Desk appreciates the support of readers who purchase products or services through links on our website. Learn more...

San Diego newspaper gets new hedge fund owners, buyouts planned

Photo of author
By:
»

mkeys@thedesk.net

Share:
The skyline of San Diego, California. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
The skyline of San Diego, California. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

The owner of the Los Angeles Times has sold its Borderland newspaper, the San Diego Union-Tribune, to a penny-pinching hedge fund known for cutting staff and resources.

On Tuesday, Patrick Soo-Shiong announced a deal to sell the Union-Tribune to Alden Global Capital, the operator of MediaNews Group, putting the newspaper under common ownership with the Oakland Tribune, the San Jose Mercury-News and the Denver Post.

Nearly immediately after the deal was announced, employees of the Union-Tribune received an email warning of staff reductions that were “necessary to offset the slowdown in revenues as economic headwinds continue to impact the media industry.”

The reduction will see the Union-Tribune offering buyouts to some staff, though layoffs could also be coming down the line.

The Union-Tribune currently has a little over 100 staffers working on the paper, down from its peak of 400 nearly two decades ago. Tribune Publishing acquired the Union-Tribune in 2015, only to sell the paper three years later.

Never miss a story

Get free breaking news alerts and twice-weekly digests delivered to your inbox.

We do not share your e-mail address with third parties; you can unsubscribe at any time.

Photo of author

About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is the award-winning founder and editor of TheDesk.net, an authoritative voice on broadcast and streaming TV, media and tech. With over ten years of experience, he's a recognized expert in broadcast, streaming, and digital media, with work featured in publications such as StreamTV Insider and Digital Content Next, and past roles at Thomson Reuters and Disney-ABC Television Group.
TheDesk.net is free to read — please help keep it that way.We rely on advertising revenue to support our original journalism and analysis. Please disable your ad-blocking technology to continue enjoying our content. Read more...