The Target Report: Justice Department Saves Newspapers (Really?)

The Department of Justice has entered the fray for the survival of printed news. As the bidding was being finalized to purchase the bankrupt Freedom Communications in Southern California, DOJ's Antitrust Division stepped in at the last minute and pulled the plug, claiming that its action would ensure that competition in the newspaper industry is protected.

The DOJ had rattled its sword two days before the bids were in and warned the competing bidders that it would view a winning bid from Chicago-based Tribune Publishing as anti-competitive to the control of the news, as well creating a near-monopoly of the newspaper printing press capacity, in the region from Los Angeles to San Diego.