"AT&T asked us to make a bid for Kearns-Tribune. We did. They accepted it. We asked Deseret News if they would approve it and they said they would. So other than asking for that consent, we have no involvement with either the Deseret News or the LDS Church."

The Tribune has been sold twice before, once to TCI Inc. and again to AT&T, both times without approval of the Deseret News, which Deseret News management believes were violations of the JOA. MediaNews is the first buyer to honor the JOA contract by asking permission of the Deseret News.

Singleton wouldn't comment on what he thought Kearns-Tribune's chances are of stopping the sale other than to say AT&T believes it has the right to sell to anyone it wants.

"And after reviewing all the documents, we agree. We don't see any reason why this won't go forward and be completed. But (Vice President Al Gore) has proven that anyone can file a lawsuit. Every citizen has the right to file a lawsuit and every citizen has the right to lose."

Asked about McCarthey's comment that MediaNews would only be allowed to keep the Tribune for 18 months before being required to sell it back to Kearns-Tribune, Singleton said everyone has the right to interpret agreements any way they want, adding, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

As the owner of the Park Record newspaper in Park City — a personal investment that is not part of MediaNews — Singleton is no stranger to the Utah news market. He also owns a printing company in Utah and has been doing business here since 1984.

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Contributing: Maria Titze, Alan Edwards.

E-mail: max@desnews.com