The Los Angeles Register, a daily newspaper that launched in April, ceased publication on Tuesday. Freedom Communications, the company that owns the Orange County Register, started the paper in a big bet on print even as newspapers around the country continue to see declining circulation. However, the thin daily had limited distribution and never really caught on. Freedom, which was acquired by greetings card entrepreneur Aaron Kushner in 2012, said it plans to focus on its core Orange County and Riverside County markets. It purchased the Riverside Press-Enterprise last year. In a memo to employees quoted by the Los Angeles Times, Kushner and Co-Owner Eric Spitz said producing a paper for the Los Angeles region involved “real cost and required greater community support than it initially achieved.” At the time of its launch, L.A. Register was promoted to appeal to a “right-of-center, pro-business” readership. In its final edition, the owners thanked readers for their support. The staff of the L.A. Register will be laid off but no exact numbers were released. The company also plans other financial cutbacks, including selling it headquarters building in Santa Ana for $27 million and leasing it back. The memo, however, added that overall the company has increased its advertisers and revenue from advertising has grown by double digits.
