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Citing a “growing demand for more local coverage” the Woodland Hills-based Daily News has launched a new “Los Angeles” edition offering expanded coverage of metropolitan news.

The new edition positions the paper to compete more directly with the Los Angeles Times, although a Times spokesman contacted last week said he was unaware of the edition. The Times had no further comment.

The Los Angeles edition debuted March 2 and is available at downtown, Hollywood and Westside newsstands and newsracks only, and not for home delivery.

In a statement, Publisher Larry Beasley called the expansion “a logical extension of the paper’s strong presence throughout L.A.”

“Although our primary market is still the San Fernando and surrounding valleys, we want readers to know that we also have outstanding coverage of the entire metro area,” Beasley said.

Editor David Butler said in a statement that the edition came in response to readers who “have been asking for increased L.A. emphasis and availability.”

Even so, Daily News officials said the paper will continue to focus primarily on San Fernando and surrounding valleys including Conejo, Simi, Santa Clarita and Antelope.

Daily News officials declined comment when asked if the paper had any plans to launch home circulation in the Westside and Hollywood areas a move that would directly challenge the Times, the dominant Los Angeles newspaper.

The Daily News has a daily circulation of 202,000 and Sunday circulation of 218,000.

The Times has daily circulation of 1,021,121 and Sunday circulation of 1,391,076.

Julie Sable