Half of L.A. Times’ staff say they’d quit if Koch brothers take over

A newspaper owner more polarizing than Rupert Murdoch or Sam Zell? Yes, we have a new front runner (and two of them, at that!): the Koch brothers.

Charles and David Koch are rumored to have an interest in buying all eight papers owned by Tribune Co., including The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, and Hartford Courant.

The Huffington Post reports that at an L.A. Times awards ceremony the following exchange took place when columnist Steve Lopez addressed the staff:

“He said, ‘Raise your hand if you would quit if the paper was bought by Austin Beutner’s group.’ No one raised their hands.

‘Raise your hand if you would quit if the paper was bought by Rupert Murdoch.’ A few people raised their hands.

Facing the elephant trunk-on, ‘Raise your hand if you would quit if the paper was bought by the Koch brothers.’ About half the staff raised their hands.”