Digital First Media said Saturday that Freedom Communications’ attorney will accept its offer for The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise. (File Photo)

By Jeff Collins and Jonathan Lansner
March 19, 2016 – Updated 10:50 p.m.

Attorneys for The Orange County Register’s owner filed a motion Saturday asking a bankruptcy judge to approve the company’s sale to Digital First Media, the second-highest bidder in last week’s newspaper auction.

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The Orange County Register building in Santa Ana. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Andrew Khouri
March 18, 2016

A U.S. District Court judge has approved a temporary restraining order to block Tribune Publishing’s purchase of the Orange County Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise, a decision that the owner of the Los Angeles Times has described as a “death-knell” to its bid.

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The Orange County Register building in Santa Ana. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Andrew Khouri
March 17, 2016

The owner of the Los Angeles Times was selected as the top bidder for the Orange County Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise during the papers’ bankruptcy auction, but the U.S. Department of Justice immediately filed a lawsuit to block the deal Thursday on antitrust grounds.

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The U.S. Justice Department sees “serious” antitrust issues with Tribune Publishing’s bankruptcy bid for The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise and would take action to keep any merger from hurting newspaper readers and advertisers in the region, according to letter to Freedom Communications this week. Los Angeles Times is owned by Tribune Publishing.

Jonathan Lansner / Staff Writer
March 15, 2016
Updated: March 16, 2016 – 9:55 a.m.

The U.S. Justice Department sees “serious” antitrust issues with Tribune Publishing’s bankruptcy bid for The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise and would take action to keep any merger from hurting local newspaper readers and advertisers, according to a letter to Freedom Communications.

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Newspaper boxes outside the Orange County Register in Santa Ana. A $45.5-million bid from Digital First Media for the assets of parent Freedom Communications will be the “stalking horse” bid in an auction Wednesday. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Laurence Darmiento
March 13, 2016

Digital First Media, owner of the Los Angeles Daily News, was selected Sunday as the bidder to beat in an auction for the assets of Freedom Communications, the bankrupt owner of the Orange County Register.

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Saturday, February 13, 2016 – 10:00 a.m.

Bankrupt Freedom Communication, parent company of The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise, has already been ran into the ground by former CEO Aaron Kushner.

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Bidders interested in acquiring Freedom Communications, the bankrupt owner of the Orange County Register, had until Friday to submit initial offers. An auction is scheduled for next month. (Jae C. Hong / AP)

James Rufus Koren
February 13, 2016

An investor group led by the chief executive of Freedom Communications will not be among the initial bidders for the bankrupt company, in a reversal from a plan first announced in November.

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A bidding war may be emerging for the Orange County Register. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Andrew Khouri
December 14, 2015

A federal judge has approved a $4.5-million loan that will allow the Orange County Register to operate during bankruptcy — setting the stage for a possible bidding war by an insider group and the owners of the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Daily News.

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A bidding war may be emerging for the Orange County Register. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Andrew Khouri
November 14, 2015

Another bidder appears to be lining up for Freedom Communications, the owner of the Orange County Register that filed for bankruptcy last week.

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By Sean Emery and Jonathan Lansner / Staff Writers
Nov. 4, 2015 – Updated 8:11 p.m.

The owner of the Los Angeles Times made a surprise offer Wednesday to lend $3 million to the owner of The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise in what may be a precursor to a bid to buy the two newspapers out of Freedom Communications’ bankruptcy.

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Monday, November 2, 2015 – 08:30 a.m.

Freedom Communications, parent of The Press-Enterprise and Orange County Register newspapers has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

What a shock!

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Freedom sold the Register’s 173,000-square-foot headquarters office for $27 million in September. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

By Chris Kirkham
March 10, 2015

When Aaron Kushner bought the Orange County Register and announced his plans to double down on print journalism, media experts asked: Could he save the newspaper industry?

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Related: InlandPolitics: Newspaper decline continues

Friday, January 16, 2015 – 06:00 a.m.

Freedom Communications, parent of The Press-Enterprise and Orange County Register ceased printing another of its publications in December.

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Saturday, December 6, 2014 – 11:00 a.m.

The sad steady decline in newspaper circulation continues to pressure publications nationwide, and in the Inland Empire.

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Orange County Register Publisher Richard Mirman said in a memo to employees that layoffs at the Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise are part of an attempt “to ‘right size’ the business back to appropriate levels.”

Freedom Communications lays off 100 employees
By Tiffany Hsu contact the reporter

Freedom Communications, the parent company of the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise, is laying off about 100 non-newsroom employees Wednesday.

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Newspaper boxes outside the Orange County Register in Santa Ana. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

By Andrew Khouri
November 14, 2014

The Orange County Register is now asking its reporters and other staff members to deliver papers.

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By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY
OCT. 19, 2014

Ever since the entrepreneur Aaron Kushner bought into the newspaper business two years ago, he has generated a steady stream of headlines — about himself.

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Orange County Register co-owner Aaron Kushner, announced Monday night the closure of the 5-month-old Los Angeles Register.

By Andrew Khouri
September 22, 2014

The Los Angeles Register, which launched in April as part Aaron Kushner’s bold bet on print newspapers, will cease publication, effective immediately.

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