P-E To Be Sold To Company That Owns San Bern. Sun, Redlands Daily Facts, And Inland Valley Bulletin

It appears the fate of two of Southern California's biggest newspapers has been decided.  A federal bankruptcy judge ruled yesterday (Monday) that Freedom Communications can sell the Press-Enterprise and its sister newspaper the Orange County Register to Digital First Media, the second largest newspaper publisher in the nation.  That decision came after the judge on Friday had blocked an earlier attempt by Tribune publishing – the owner of the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune – to purchase the P-E and the Register, because of concerns that competition could be stifled if Tribune owned four of the largest newspapers in Southern California.  U.S. Justice Department officials indicated they are not concerned that competition may be stifled by the fact that Digital First Media would own the P-E, the San Bernardino Sun, the Redlands Daily Facts, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, and daily papers in Pasadena, Long Beach, and Los Angeles - The L.A. Daily News.     Steven Cuevas shared this story on this morning's "California Report."