In the final hours of The Messenger, owner Jimmy Finkelstein reached out to offer a merger with the Los Angeles Times, telling his staff that a deal was imminent, TheWrap has learned. But the Los Angeles Times insisted that there was no such deal on the table, only a desperate call from Finkelstein to owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, according to an insider there.
Two individuals with ties to The Messenger told to TheWrap that Finkelstein and Soon-Shiong were eager to merge their organizations, but could not get the deal done fast enough to outrun a lack of cash.
“Patrick was very keen to do the merger – which is why the announcement to staff about The Messenger closing was delayed.