- Brash right-wing California Post to debut in Los Angeles in early 2026
Print and digital daily will echo New York Post’s signature style with California spin
Move comes as Los Angeles Times downsizes amid industry turmoil
The Murdoch media empire is planting its flag on the West Coast with a new daily newspaper, the California Post, set to launch in Los Angeles in early 2026. The new tabloid, announced by News Corp, will be modeled after the brash, right-wing New York Post and aims to provide what its backers call a much-needed alternative in California's media landscape.
The California Post will feature a mix of news, sports, politics, and celebrity gossip, all delivered with the confrontational tone and bold visual flair that has defined the New York Post for decades. The paper will be produced by a dedicated California-based team of reporters, editors, and photographers, and will publish daily in both print and digital formats.
“California is the most populous state in the country, and is the epicenter of entertainment, the AI revolution and advanced manufacturing — not to mention a sports powerhouse,” said New York Post editor-in-chief Keith Poole. “Yet many stories are not being told, and many viewpoints are not being represented.”
New paper, familiar tone
News Corp has tapped Nick Papps, a longtime editor from its Australian operation, to lead the new venture as editor-in-chief of the California Post. He will report directly to Poole. According to News Corp, the new outlet will aim to blend the Post’s trademark “puckish wit” with local relevance, focusing on issues from wildfires to immigration and the upcoming 2026 gubernatorial election.
The California Post also launches at a moment of opportunity, with California set to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, bringing heightened attention to the region.
Filling a void—or fanning flames?
The expansion comes amid sharp declines at local rival the Los Angeles Times, which has laid off hundreds of staff in recent years amid heavy financial losses and subscriber churn. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson seized on the moment, declaring that “Los Angeles and California surely need a daily dose of The Post as an antidote to the jaundiced, jaded journalism that has sadly proliferated.”
While critics may view the launch as a politically calculated play, News Corp is banking on an already sizable California audience. The Los Angeles area is reportedly home to the second-largest concentration of New York Post readers, and 90% of the paper’s digital traffic comes from outside New York.
Whether the California Post will be a West Coast disruptor or a polarizing presence remains to be seen — but Murdoch’s empire is making a clear bet that California is ready for more tabloid grit, irreverent takes, and a new voice in the state’s evolving media battleground.