"A vibrant city depends on a vigilant and competent press." These words from Pew Charitable Trust president and CEO Rebecca Rimel are hitting home in the communities that Knight Ridder serves around the United States, particularly in Philadelphia.

Since Knight Ridder puts itself up for sale, the Los Angeles Times reported two definite first round bids had been made. These came from investment firm Texas Pacific Group and an alliance of private equity investors Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Blackstone Group and Providence Equity Partners. The San Jose Mercury-News has additionally reported that newspaper companies Gannett and McClatchy have both expressed interest in buying the company.

Knight Ridder's largest daily, the Philadelphia Inquirer which is also the City of Brotherly Love's largest newsgathering operation, joins the company on the block. Some in the community are beginning to worry that the press' check on the city government and companies will be significantly weakened because of the job cuts accompanying the sale and because potential buyers only seem concerned about profits.

"Because of our location between New York and Washington, our region really does need a strong paper," said Hugh Long, head of Wachovia Bank's operations in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, Kathleen Hall fears "homogenized news" in Philadelphia because of job losses in the newsroom.

As the business situation becomes increasingly precarious for newspapers around the country, more communities are certain to begin questioning the effects of losing the depth of investigative reporting that their local reporters provide.

In related news, the advocacy group MoveOn.org had a petition signed by 45,000 people protesting job cuts at the Tribune Company rejected by Tribune executives.

Sources: Philly.com, Media Giraffe Project, Editor and Publisher