Perhaps in a response to objections over news that the Koch brothers are interested in purchasing Tribune Co. newspapers, BBC News reported that Koch Industries would be dropping its interest to bid in the Chicago-based publication company.
Koch Industries' spokeswoman Melissa Cohlmia told BBC that she confirmed sources who told another news outfit The Daily Caller that the Kansas-based multinational company was no longer keen in placing a bid with any of the Tribune publications. In an email, she adds, "Koch continues to have an interest in the media business and we're exploring a broad range of opportunities where we think we can add value...In terms of the Tribune, the Daily Caller story is accurate."
The Daily Caller published a story earlier that the Tribune newspapers was later found to not have an economical interest that Koch is looking for. Sources also told The Daily Caller that revenues from CareerBuilder.com and Classified Ventures LLC, two of Tribunes profitable digital assets, composed half of Tribune's revenues that "if they (Tribune) sold them, it (company value) goes away," making Tribune publications unsustainable.
Tribune's publishing group was worth USD623 million in a bankruptcy filing made last year. The amount was USD300 million less than the estimated value made on January 2011. Tribune has been engaging restructuring strategies to boost the company's financial position ever since Peter Liguori sat as the company's Chief Executive Officer.
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