Register Doubles Down on New Publisher without Publishing Experience

The OC Register has a new publisher according to a story in the paper that was posted online last night around 7:30 PM.  Like Freedom CEO Aaron Kushner, new publisher Richard Mirman, has no experience in journalism or publishing.  He resides in Las Vegas and his previous experience was in casino marketing with Harrah’s.  Is the Register gambling with its future?

From the story:

Richard Mirman, a former executive at Harrah’s Entertainment known in Las Vegas for his talents in casino marketing, has been named interim publisher and chief executive of the Orange County Register.

Mirman took over Monday from Aaron Kushner, who remains the principal owner and chief executive of the Register’s parent company, Freedom Communications.

“My goal is to get the business on a trajectory of growth,” said Mirman, 48, in an interview.

Newsroom, advertising, marketing and circulation executives of the Register and the Freedom-owned Press-Enterprise in Riverside will report to Mirman, a Freedom investor who served in several executive marketing roles at Harrah’s from 1998 to 2007. Kushner will oversee the opinions department for both newspapers.

Mirman invested in the paper earlier this year without saying how much.  For those non-familiar with the concept, when an investor comes in and takes over, it’s likely a considerable sum.  The story in the Register notes Mirman’s education: “Mirman holds a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a master’s in mathematics from the State University of New York in Stony Brook.”  mmmm math.  Math.  Ah yes, I hope he takes into account the half million plus registered Democrats and Progressives who reside in this county who have given up on the paper.  Our advice — start reading your new paper’s editorial section and let us know how a Libertarian point of view shared by less than 10 percent of all voters outweighs the progressive point of view shared by twice the number of OC residents than your circulation numbers.

And of course, OC Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano continues to enjoy the schadenfreude in the Register’s troubles by picking on business reporter Lily Leung who is a solid journalist (and clearly asked good questions for the story even if the answers were later “softened” for publication.  Perhaps Arellano could opine on the financial health of OC Weekly which has seen staffing levels decline in the past decade but provides less expensive options by publishing the work of freelancers.  Perhaps Arellano could be less gleeful about the Register’s troubles; after all, both “ships” are in the same waters and cheering the big ship sinking fast is not guarantee your boat stays afloat.