L-A Times Finds Buyer For Community Newspapers

Charlie Plowman, the owner of Outlook Newspapers in La Cañada Flintridge, has acquired the assets of three recently folded newspapers from the Los Angeles Times’ parent company.

The L-A Times reports Plowman takes immediate ownership of the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun just two weeks after The Times’ owner, California Times, announced that it was shutting down the three award-winning papers because of the economic crisis brought on by the novel coronavirus.

Charlie Plowman

With the deal, the 52-year-old La Cañada Flintridge publisher significantly expands his news operation. Plowman has published the La Cañada Outlook since 1998, and he later added the Pasadena Outlook and titles in South Pasadena and San Marino. The plan is to combine the two La Cañada papers into one publication called the La Cañada Outlook Valley Sun, and restart the Glendale and Burbank papers with new editions Saturday.

“We are thrilled to have acquired three iconic newspapers with deep roots and historic legacies in their respective communities,” Plowman said in a statement Thursday announcing the deal. “I heard the outpouring from local residents, as to how much they love these publications, and want to support them.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Weekly editions of the Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press will continue to be distributed to readers of The Times in those areas, as they have been in the past.

The transactions come at a troubled time for newspapers as COVID-19 has ravaged the industry. California Times halted publication of the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader after their April 18 editions. The Valley Sun was last printed April 23. Plowman, who grew up in La Cañada Flintridge, said in the statement that he plans to increase coverage of his hometown and the two San Fernando Valley communities.

The 14 community news staff members who lost their jobs as part of the closures by California Times will not move to the Outlook Newspapers group. Plowman said he would be reviewing staffing levels and coverage plans.