Chicago ? Tribune Co. ousted Jeffrey M. Johnson, the publisher of its largest newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, on Thursday after Johnson had refused to make what he considered potentially damaging staff cuts ordered by the media conglomerate.

The parent company named David D. Hiller, who has been publisher of the Chicago Tribune, to succeed Johnson.

The move follows a highly publicized show of defiance last month by Johnson and Times editor Dean Baquet against the latest proposed Tribune cuts, which drew the ire of not only Times staffers but those at some of Tribune’s 10 other daily newspapers.

But it was unclear whether the action means Tribune, which plans major restructuring actions by the end of the year, is determined to keep the paper or put Hiller in place to slash costs and make it more attractive in a sale.