In the final hours of The Messenger, owner Jimmy Finkelstein reached out to offer a merger with the Los Angeles Times, telling his staff that a deal was imminent, TheWrap has learned. “Patrick was very keen to do the merger – which is why the announcement to staff about The Messenger closing was delayed. The L.A. Times has also experienced financial troubles as of late, with 120 jobs cut from the newspaper in January. A merger could have driven some further digital readership to the L.A. Times, which could afford to bolster its subscriber base. In return, the billionaire owner of the L.A. Times Patrick Soon-Shiong could cover The Messenger’s payroll, keeping the company alive.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 01, 2024 16:15 UTC