LA Times buy not a priority, says a Koch brother

Charles Koch, one of the two right-wing brothers who are the bogeymen of the left this year, was asked in an interview published in Kansas today if they are interested in buying the Los Angeles Times and other Tribune newspapers, as often speculated. Not on the front burner, but possible, Koch told the Wichita Eagle. From the interview, which is mostly about a new public campaign by the Kochs to "laud economic freedom and warn the public about government overreach...":

He also addressed whether his company plans to bid on buying the Tribune Co. newspapers, which includes the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.

“It’s possible,” he said. “It’s not on the front burner, but it’s possible.”

In an interview last month with the Wall Street Journal, Koch said his company is interested in buying newspapers. But on Monday, he appeared to back off a step or two.

“We are at square one on that. There are tremendous changes going on in media, in taking media as a whole, all forms of communication. We’re back at square one analyzing where is the most change, where are the best opportunities for new entrants to come in and add value? And so newspapers are one, but there are all sorts of others. There’s the Internet, there’s TV. There’s entertainment. And so we don’t know where we’ll end up on that.”

Photo of Charles Koch: Wichita Eagle file photo