Mr. Johnson was the first black reporter at Newsday and later, at The New York Times, one of the first black journalists to work as a foreign correspondent for a major daily newspaper.

As Cablevision gets ready to take over Newsday, the paper’s readers and journalists are debating whether it means continued shrinkage, an infusion of new resources or something in between.

After being acquired by Cablevision, Newsday staffers must wonder how a company and a chief executive who have shown hostility to journalism will treat journalists on its payroll.

The owners of The New York Post and The Daily News lost out to Cablevision in the battle for Newsday on Monday, but the tabloid war may be far from over.

The deal with Tribune will give Cablevision a 97 percent stake and return the paper to Long Island ownership.

The $650 million deal will give Cablevision a 97 percent stake and return the paper to Long Island ownership.

It is not the first time that the family that controls Cablevision Systems, whose bid to acquire Newsday could lead to a quick deal, has left shareholders and investors scratching their heads.

Cablevision appeared likely to prevail in the bidding for the newspaper after the News Corporation pulled out.

Cablevision appeared likely to prevail in the bidding for the Long Island newspaper after News Corporation pulled its $580 million bid.

Rupert Murdoch and Mortimer B. Zuckerman have not signaled they would increase their bid for Newsday to match a higher offer from Cablevision.