Tribune Publishing completes purchase of U-T San Diego

Tribune Publishing , the parent company of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, has completed its purchase of the U-T San Diego from real estate magnate Doug Manchester. Tribune paid $85 million in cash and stock for the U-T, eight community weeklies and related websites. U-T San Diego and the Los Angeles Times will share content and other resources.

Going forward, the U-T will return to its longtime name, the San Diego Union-Tribune. The paper will be led on a day-to-day basis by Russ Newton, the new president and chief operating officer. As part of the deal, Chicago-based Tribune Publishing created the California News Group, which will oversee operations of the Los Angeles Times Media Group and the U-T. Times Publisher Austin Beutner has been named publisher of the U-T and will also serve as chief executive of the news group.