Contrary to a report in Tuesday’s Examiner, publisher Ted Venetoulis said a group he heads was not yet in negotiations with the Tribune Co. to purchase The Baltimore Sun.

“The Tribune Co. hasn’t made any decision” about the sale of the corporation or any of its properties, Venetoulis said. “We can’t get to them until they decided what they’re going to do.”

Venetoulis, a former Baltimore County executive, heads a group of potential investors who want to purchase the Sun and return it to local control.

Venetoulis said a likely scenario is that someone or group would buy the entire Tribune Co., and “if they do buy, they will probably be interested in spinning off The Sun.”

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“No one really knows how far away that bid might be,” Venetoulis said. “My bet is that it is closer to six months.”

Venetoulis agreed that the scenario is “very complicated,” but “we’re putting ourselves in a position” to be the purchaser of the Sun from whoever owns Tribune Co.

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com