Over 2013, Orange County Register owner Aaron Kushner drew national attention for expanding his paper and hiring up in an era where most newspapers have been dramatically contracting. Kushner had even gone so far as starting a new paper in Long Beach, purchasing the Riverside Press-Enterprise, and announcing plans to start a new daily that would cover Los Angeles County. But last week, those ambitions took a huge hit when Kushner announced the departure of 32 staffers at the Register via lay-offs or buy-outs. Following on the heals of 39 axings at the Press-Enterprise, it seems reality has caught up with Kushner. Nevertheless, he vows to continue with his dreams. Are the lay-offs a necessary tuning or the beginning of the end?
KCRW
