View source for Freedom Communications

{{short description|Former American media conglomerate}}
[[Image:Freedom Communications Logo.png|thumb|Freedom Communications logo]]

'''Freedom Communications, Inc.''' was an American [[media conglomerate]] that operated daily and weekly newspapers, websites and mobile applications and television stations, as well as ''Coast Magazine''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/06/19/montage-memories/|title=Coast Magazine|website=Orange County Register|date=19 June 2020 }}</ref> and other specialty publications. Headquartered at 625 N. Grand Avenue in [[Santa Ana, California]], it was owned by a [[private equity firm]], 2100 Trust, established in 2010 by investor Aaron Kushner.<ref>{{cite web|author=Rem Rieder, USA Today 8:11 p.m. EDT June 25, 2013 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/rieder/2013/06/25/rem-rieder-newspapers/2457629/ |title=One newspaper cuts to survive; another invests to thrive |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=2013-06-25 |access-date=2014-04-17}}</ref> Freedom's [[flagship]] newspaper was the ''[[Orange County Register]]'', based in Santa Ana.

==Ownership==
Founder [[R.C. Hoiles]] gained a one-third interest in his first newspaper (''The Alliance Review'' in Ohio) sometime in the 1910s. He and his brother Frank bought many more local newspapers over the next several decades.  In 1935 he moved his base of operations to [[Santa Ana, California]], and in 1950 he incorporated his syndicate as '''Freedom Newspapers, Inc'''. It was renamed Freedom Communications in 1993.<ref name="meg2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives|title=Archives|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> The company became a television station owner in 1984, with the acquisition of its first two stations [[WTVC-TV]], [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] and [[KFDM-TV]], [[Beaumont, Texas]].  The Freedom television group eventually grew to six stations, including [[WRGB-TV]] [[Albany, New York]], [[WPEC-TV]] [[West Palm Beach, Florida]], [[WWMT-TV]], [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]] and [[KTVL-TV]] [[Medford, Oregon]].  Freedom was operated as an entirely family-owned business until 2004, when private-equity firms [[Blackstone Group]] and [[Providence Equity Partners]] acquired a 40 percent share in Freedom for about $460 million. As part of this transaction, Freedom had acquired substantial debt.

On September 1, 2009, Freedom Communications went into a [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy reorganization.<ref name="wsj11">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125166593642570507|title=Paper Owner Freedom Plans to File For Chapter 11|work=Wall Street Journal|date=August 31, 2009|author1=Peter Lattman |author2=Russell Adams }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/freedom-communications-files-for-bankruptcy|title=Freedom Communications Files for Bankruptcy|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2009-09-01|access-date=2009-09-02|last=de la Merced|first=Michael}}</ref> The company left bankruptcy on April 30, 2010, under the ownership of investment firms [[Alden Global Capital]], [[Angelo, Gordon & Co.]] and Luxor Capital Group. Lenders to the company also retained a stake in Freedom.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

The company announced on November 2, 2011 that it would sell its entire television division to [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] for $385 million in a move to eliminate the company's debt. The sale was completed on April 2, 2012.<ref name=ocr-freedomsinclair>{{cite news|last=Milbourn|first=Mary Ann|title=O.C. Register owner sells TV stations|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/sinclair-324997-stations-company.html|access-date=November 2, 2011|newspaper=[[Orange County Register]]|date=November 2, 2011}}</ref>

Freedom began selling the majority of its newspaper portfolio in 2012. Four papers in the Midwest were sold to Ohio Community Media, an affiliate of the private equity firm Versa Capital Management, in May.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2012/05/17/freedom-communications-sells-4-midwest-papers/|title=Freedom Communications sells 4 Midwest papers|date=May 17, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://newsdemocrat.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=135718&TM=28723.68 |title=OCM purchases the Lima News |access-date=2012-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604234806/http://newsdemocrat.com/main.asp?SectionID=1 |archive-date=2012-06-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The ''[[Clovis News Journal]]'' and other newspapers in New Mexico were sold to Stevenson Newspapers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.freedom.com/company/full_news2.asp?id=2126 |title=Freedom Communications Announces Sale Of Clovis, NM, News Journal to Clovis Media Inc. |access-date=2012-06-04 |archive-date=2012-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510112250/http://freedom.com/company/full_news2.asp?id=2126 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Freedom papers in Texas were sold to AIM Media Texas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oaoa.com/articles/texas-87557-llc-media.html|title=AIM Media Texas, LLC acquires Texas newspapers|access-date=2012-06-04|archive-date=2012-05-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523151547/http://www.oaoa.com/articles/texas-87557-llc-media.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its Florida and North Carolina papers were sold to [[Halifax Media Group]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.starfl.com/news/news-24960-properties-florida.html|title=Freedom announces sale of Florida, N.C. properties to Halifax Media Group|access-date=2012-06-04|archive-date=2012-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604012612/http://www.starfl.com/news/news-24960-properties-florida.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On June 11, 2012, Freedom Communications Holdings, Inc., announced an agreement to be acquired by 2100 Trust, LLC. in a merger with a subsidiary of 2100 Trust. On July 25, 2012, the latter, led by entrepreneur [[Aaron Kushner]], acquired Freedom's dailies, associated non-daily publications and digital properties. The company continued to operate under the name Freedom Communications.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/irvine-35749-parent-press.html
|title=2100 Trust buys Daily Press parent company
|work=Victorville Daily Press
|date=July 25, 2012
|access-date=November 30, 2012}}</ref>

Kushner, who "preached the virtues of local journalism and a print product,"  bought Freedom in 2012 for $50 million plus assumption of pension liabilities. He increased staff and added new sections at the ''Orange County Register'' and began a new daily, the ''Long Beach Register.'' In January 2014, however, he announced heavy layoffs in Orange County and at the [[Riverside Press-Enterprise]], which he also owned.<ref name=DozensLaid>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-register-layoffs-20140117-story.html|title=Dozens laid off at Freedom papers|date=January 17, 2014|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>  The ''Register'' launched a Los Angeles edition, the ''Los Angeles Register'', on April 16, 2014, but the venture ended five months later.<ref>{{cite news |last=Khouri |first=Andrew |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-la-register-20140922-story.html |title=Freedom Newspapers Ceases Publication of L.A. Register |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=September 23, 2014}}</ref>  The ''Long Beach Register'' became a Sunday-only publication in June 2014,<ref>{{Cite news | issn = 0458-3035 | last = Lopez | first = Ricardo | title = O.C. Register owner to cut staff, merge Long Beach and L.A. newspapers | work = Los Angeles Times | access-date = 2014-06-15 | date = 2014-06-03 | url = http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-register-problems-20140604-story.html }}</ref> and ceased publication in December 2014.<ref name="LBRstops">{{cite news |last1=Pfeifer |first1=Stuart |last2=Khouri |first2=Andrew |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-long-beach-register-stops-publishing-20141228-story.html |title=Long Beach Register stops publishing |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=December 28, 2014 |access-date=2014-12-30 }}</ref>

Freedom closed the sale of ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)]]'' to Clarity Media, a subsidiary of [[The Anschutz Corporation]], on November 30, 2012.<ref name=denverbiz12>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2012/11/30/anschutz-buys-colorado-springs-gazette.html
|title=Anschutz buys Colorado Springs Gazette
|last=Avery | first=Greg
|work=Denver Business Journal
|date=November 30, 2012
|access-date=November 30, 2012}}</ref> In 2013, Freedom Communications sold the ''[[Yuma Sun]]'' and the ''[[Porterville Recorder]]'' to [[RISN Operations|Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers]] and the ''[[Appeal-Democrat]]'' to Horizon Publications.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yumasun.com/articles/yuma-87169-newspapers-rhode.html|title=Yuma Sun under new ownership|access-date=2013-04-30|archive-date=2013-06-30|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630182611/http://www.yumasun.com/articles/yuma-87169-newspapers-rhode.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_23368084/sales-four-north-valley-newspapers-announced |title=Sales of four north-valley newspapers announced |access-date=2013-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004115935/https://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_23368084/sales-four-north-valley-newspapers-announced |archive-date=2014-10-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2014, Freedom sold the ''[[Daily Press (California)|Daily Press]]'' and the ''[[Desert Dispatch]]'' to New Media Investment Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2014/03/03/register-owner-sells-victorville-barstow-newspapers/|title=Register owner sells Victorville, Barstow newspapers|first=Mary Ann Milbourn &#124; Orange County|last=Register|date=March 3, 2014}}</ref>

On November 1, 2015, Freedom Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 11 Petition|url=http://www.pacermonitor.com/view/E2KX7FY/Freedom_Communications_Holdings__cacbke-15-15312__0001.0.pdf|website=PacerMonitor|access-date=2 November 2015}}</ref>

In January, Freedom closed several of its weekly papers in Orange County.<ref>{{Cite web| title = OC Register To Cut a Bunch of Community Weeklies, Among Other Belt-Tightening Moves| work = OC Weekly| access-date = 2018-05-30| date = 2016-01-08| url = https://www.ocweekly.com/oc-register-to-cut-a-bunch-of-community-weeklies-among-other-belt-tightening-moves-6885791/}}</ref> On March 21, 2016 a bankruptcy judge approved the sale of Freedom Communications and its two major newspapers, the ''[[Orange County Register]]'' and the ''[[Riverside Press-Enterprise]]'' to [[Digital First Media]] (DFM). DFM is the parent of the Los Angeles News Group (LANG), which was renamed the Southern California News Group on the same day, and which owns eleven daily newspapers in [[Southern California]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200729230146/http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2016/03/21/bankruptcy-judge-approves-digital-first-media-purchase-of-freedom-communications-assets/  Talking New Media blog: "Bankruptcy judge approves Digital First Media purchase of Freedom Communications assets"], by D.B. Hebbard21 March 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2016/03/memo_la_news_group_now_so.php LA Observed blog: "Memo: LA News Group now So Cal News Group"], by Kevin Roderick, 21 March 2016.</ref>

==Leadership==
Founder and chief executive officer [[R.C. Hoiles]] led Freedom until his death in 1970. He was succeeded as [[chief executive officer]] by his son, [[C.H. Hoiles]], who served until 1981, and then by:
* [[D.R. Segal]] (1981–1992)
* [[James N. Rosse]] (1992–1999)
* [[Samuel C. Wolgemuth]] (1999–2002)
* [[Alan Bell (businessman)|Alan Bell]] (2002–2006)
* [[Scott N. Flanders]] (2006–2009)
* Burl Osborne (2009–2010)
* Mitchell Stern (2010–2012)
* Aaron Kushner (2012–2015)
* Rich Mirman (2015−2016)

==Newspapers==
{{refimprove section|date=January 2014}}
Freedom's newspaper portfolio consists of:

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]]'''
* Weekly newspapers:
** ''[[Easy Reader]]''  of [[Hermosa Beach, California|Hermosa Beach]] (managed by Freedom pursuant to long-term agreement);<ref>Mary Ann Milbourn, [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/easy-598237-reader-angeles.html "Register owner expands in L.A."], ''[[Orange County Register]]'', January 21, 2014.</ref> includes 3 ''Easy Reader'' magazines:
::*''Beach''
::*''Peninsula People''
::*''Drop Zone''

'''[[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]]'''
* ''[[The Press-Enterprise]]'' of [[Riverside, California|Riverside]]<ref name=DozensLaid/>
* Weekly newspaper:
** ''Desert Enterprise'' of Palm Springs<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.kpcc.org/blogs/economy/2014/02/12/15841/o-c-register-parent-to-expand-into-palm-springs/|title=OC Register parent to expand into Palm Springs (updated)|first=Southern California Public|last=Radio|date=February 12, 2014|website=Southern California Public Radio}}</ref>

'''[[Los Angeles metropolitan area|Regional]]'''
* ''Unidos en el Sur de California'' (regional Spanish-language weekly)<ref name="consolidate">Mediha deMartino, [http://www.ocbj.com/news/2014/mar/07/freedom-consolidate-spanish-language-weeklies/ "Freedom to Consolidate Spanish-Language Weeklies"], ''[[Orange County Business Journal]]'', March 7, 2014</ref>

{{col-2}}
'''[[Orange County, California|Orange County]]'''
* ''[[The Orange County Register]]'' of [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]]
* Weekly newspapers:
** ''Anaheim Hills News'' of [[Anaheim Hills, California|Anaheim Hills]]<ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Anaheim Bulletin'' of [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]]<ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Capistrano Valley News'' of [[San Juan Capistrano, California|San Juan Capistrano]]<ref name="meg1">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-18-fi-343-story.html Media General Puts 31 Papers, Including 13 in County, Up for Sale]</ref><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''The Current'' of [[Newport Beach, California|Newport Beach]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/oc-register-current-newport-beach-costa-mesa_b87493|title=OC Register Ramps Up Newport Beach, Costa Mesa Coverage|access-date=2014-01-01|archive-date=2014-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102232715/http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/oc-register-current-newport-beach-costa-mesa_b87493|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="dimartino">{{Cite news | last = DiMartino | first = Mediha | title = Sources Say Freedom to Furlough Staff, Trim Long Beach to Weekly Schedule | work = Orange County Business Journal | access-date = 2014-06-15 | date = 2014-05-30 | url = http://www.ocbj.com/news/2014/may/30/sources-say-freedom-furlough-staff-trim-long-beach/ }}</ref>
** ''Dana Point News'' of [[Dana Point, California|Dana Point]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Fountain Valley View'' of [[Fountain Valley, California|Fountain Valley]]
** ''Fullerton News Tribune'' of [[Fullerton, California|Fullerton]]<ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Huntington Beach Wave'' of [[Huntington Beach, California|Huntington Beach]]
** ''Irvine World News'' of [[Irvine, California|Irvine]]<ref name="dimartino"/><ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-may-26-fi-34213-story.html Register Parent Buys 3 Weekly Newspapers]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2013/07/22/irvine-world-news-officially-becomes-daily-newspaper/|title=Irvine World News officially becomes daily newspaper|date=July 22, 2013}}</ref>
** ''La Habra/Brea Star Progress'' of [[La Habra, California|La Habra]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/168407538 |title=La Habra, Brea Papers Purchased |access-date=2017-07-06 |archive-date=2016-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422030403/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/168407538.html |id={{ProQuest|168407538}} |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Ladera Post'' of [[Ladera Ranch, California|Ladera Ranch]]
** ''Laguna News-Post'' of [[Laguna Beach, California|Laguna Beach]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Laguna Niguel/Aliso Viejo News'' of [[Laguna Niguel, California|Laguna Niguel]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Laguna Woods Globe'' of [[Laguna Woods, California|Laguna Woods]]
** ''Orange City News'' of [[Orange, California|Orange]]<ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Placentia News-Times'' of [[Placentia, California|Placentia]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Rancho Canyon News'' of [[Rancho Santa Margarita, California|Rancho Santa Margarita]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Saddleback Valley News'' of [[Lake Forest, California|Lake Forest]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Saddleback Valley News'' of [[Mission Viejo, California|Mission Viejo]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Sun Post News'' of [[San Clemente, California|San Clemente]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
** ''Tustin News'' of [[Tustin, California|Tustin]]
** ''Yorba Linda Star'' of [[Yorba Linda, California|Yorba Linda]]<ref name="meg1"/><ref name="meg2"/>
{{col-end}}

== Former stations ==
* Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and [[city of license]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Stations owned by Freedom Communications{{r|ocr-freedomsinclair}}
! scope="col" | [[Media market]]
! scope="col" | State
! scope="col" | Station
! scope="col" | Purchased
! scope="col" | Sold
|-
| [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]] || [[Florida]]
! scope="row" | [[WPEC]]
| 1996 || 2012
|-
| [[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]]–[[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]] || rowspan="2" | [[Michigan]]
! scope="row" | [[WWMT]]
| 1998 || 2012
|-
| [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]]
! scope="row" | [[WLAJ]]
| 1998 || 2012
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Albany, New York|Albany]]–[[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]] || rowspan="2" | [[New York (state)|New York]]
! scope="row" | [[WRGB]]
| 1986 || 2012
|-
! scope="row" | [[WCWN]]
| 2006 || 2012
|-
| [[Medford, Oregon|Medford]] || [[Oregon]]
! scope="row" | [[KTVL]]
| 1981 || 2012
|-
| [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] || [[Rhode Island]]
! scope="row" | [[WLNE-TV]]
| 1982 || 2007
|-
| [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] || [[Tennessee]]
! scope="row" | [[WTVC]]
| 1983 || 2012
|-
| [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]] || [[Texas]]
! scope="row" | [[KFDM]]
| 1984 || 2012
|}

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=26em}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20160330025310/http://www.freedom.com/|name=Archive of the official website on March 30, 2016}}

{{Freedom Communications}}
{{Digital First Media}}
{{SBGI}}
{{Coord|33.7511|-117.8505|display=title}}

[[Category:Freedom Communications| ]]
[[Category:Defunct mass media companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct newspaper companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct broadcasting companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Digital First Media]]
[[Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group]]
[[Category:Companies based in Santa Ana, California]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1950]]
[[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:1950 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2016 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015]]