Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside has pledged not to change the nationalist editorial stance of the Derry Journal should he buy the company.
It emerged yesterday (Tuesday) that the anti-agreement politician, was heading a consortium of business people interested in buying the Derry Journal Group and the News Letter.
The owner of the titles, Trinity Mirror, put the Irish publications up for sale last month.
While the News Letter has been struggling in circulation terms in recent years, the Derry Journal Group of titles is believed to be among the most profitable of Irish newspapers.
As well as publishing the Derry Journal, the group produces newspapers in Co Donegal.
Mr Burnside's consortium is the latest in a line of groups reported to be interested in purchasing the newspapers.
When news of the sale broke, Derry businessman Colm McCarroll – whose family sold the Derry Journal to Trinity Mirror – announced that he would be interested in buying the paper as part of a consortium.
Mr Burnside said he had been in touch with Trinity Mirror and had been told that the group hoped to short-list bidders by the end of the year.
He said it was still unclear whether the Derry Journal Group and News Letter would be sold as a package or separately.
Mr Burnside said that there was no possibility of his changing the editorial stance of the Derry Journal Group.
"That would be ludicrous," he said.
The Ulster Unionist MP said he had been involved as a consultant with many newspapers whose editorial policy he would not agree with.
It was originally estimated that the combined Derry Journal/News Letter package, with printing facilities, would sell for between £30 million and £40 million but industry sources now believe the figure will be much lower after Trinity Mirror opted not to print its Irish editions at the Derry Journal Group.
