Tribune Company In media news, the Chicago-based Tribune Company has fired Los Angeles Times publisher Jeffrey Johnson just weeks after he refused to eliminate as many as 100 newsroom positions at the paper. The Tribune company wanted the Los Angeles Times to slash its reporting staff in an effort to save money. Both Johnson and Times Editor Dean Baquet refused. The Tribune Company named David Hiller to be the new publisher. He served in the Reagan Justice Department alongside Chief Justice John Roberts and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Times deputy sports editor William Rempel said the staff has no confidence in Tribune management to do what’s right for journalism or the newspaper. Calls have increased for local ownership of the Los Angeles Times. The Chicago-based Tribune company also owns 10 other papers including the Chicago Tribune, two dozen tv stations including KTLA in Los Angeles and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.