Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- News Corp.’s Wall Street Journal is considering adding local metro-area coverage in Los Angeles and Chicago in addition to a planned section reporting on New York, according to two people familiar with the company’s thinking.

Les Hinton, chief executive officer of Dow Jones & Co., told employees in a meeting yesterday that the newspaper was contemplating additional coverage in the California and Illinois cities, according to the people.

The newspaper, bought as part of New York-based News Corp.’s acquisition of Dow Jones in December 2007, debuted a once-weekly San Francisco Bay-area edition last week.

Hinton didn’t discuss further details of the possible sections, said the people.

The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, the largest newspapers in the two cities, are published by Tribune Co., which filed for bankruptcy protection in December.

New York Times Co.’s namesake newspaper added local coverage to the San Francisco Bay-area edition last month and is planning to do the same in Chicago.

News Corp., controlled by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rupert Murdoch, added 11 cents to $12.48 at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The shares have gained 37 percent this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Bensinger in New York at gbensinger1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 10, 2009 16:37 EST