Times Publisher Ousted

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Jeffrey Johnson was forced out as the publisher of the Los Angeles Times Thursday morning.


The move comes a little more than a month after Johnson and Times Editor Dean Baquet publicly opposed any more cuts to the editorial staff that had been sought by Times owner Tribune Co.


In a press release, Tribune said Johnson resigned but other news reports indicate he was asked to step down.


Baquet reportedly told an editors meeting at 11:30 a.m. that he will stay at the paper and work with newly named publisher David Hiller, who has served as publisher of the Chicago Tribune since November 2004 and was previously senior vice president of Tribune Publishing.


Hiller is the 12th publisher in the 125-year history of the Times.


The move follows a decision by the Tribune Co. board last week to study the possible sale or breakup of the media company, which aside from the Times and Tribune owns TV station KTLA-TV Channel 5, baseball’s Chicago Cubs as well as other TV stations and newspapers around the country.


Shares in Tribune Co. were down 4 cents to $32.92 in late trading Thursday.

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