Oct 10, 2008

7 in San Diego*

Seven media companies, including sometimes-partners MediaNews Group and Stephens Media, have made the swing through San Diego to take a look at the Union-Tribune, which is up for sale.

This isn't the first report that MediaNews owner Dean Singleton has shown an interest in the Union-Tribune.

The other visitors include Platinum Equity, Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos., Sam Zell's Tribune Co., local TV station KUSI and Canadian publisher Black Press.

*UPDATE: Make that eight potential suitors - The New York Times Co. has also sent representatives to look at the U-T. Editor & Publisher rightly throws cold water on the notion that the NYT would buy in California after dumping the Santa Barbara News-Press and picks Singleton and the likely buyer. If Singleton does do the deed, I'd bet he does so with a partner or two.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not that I want to spread rumors, but word inside the newsroom was the Sam Zell may have also reared his head at the Tribune.

Gary Scott said...

No rumor. It's been confirmed (see paragraph three of the above post).

Anonymous said...

I keep reading about Singleton being interested in buying up more papers.

That seems difficult to fathom. How would Dean Singleton get financing to buy anything given that his own credit is extremely low? Who would extend financing for the purchase of a newspaper, especially when Singleton is so shaky?