However, the Blatstein group's interest remains outside the current process set up by PMN's owners that may lead to a change in ownership for the media properties.
In a statement, PMN spokesman Mark Block said that the company "is not in discussions" with Blatstein or Philly Hometown Media to buy the media properties.
PMN is currently owned by a consortium of investment firms that bought the company out of bankruptcy in 2010. The owners have engaged Evercore Partners, a New York investment-banking firm, to market the company.
But it is unclear whether Evercore is still accepting offers for the company. According to some reports, prospective bidders had until Feb. 2 to submit letters of interest.
The company's owners and Evercore have declined to comment.
Blatstein is joined by William A. Harvey, managing partner of Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg L.L.P., a Center City law firm; beverage mogul Harold Honickman, chairman of the Honickman Group of companies; Gerard H. Sweeney, president and chief executive officer of Brandywine Realty Trust, and Radnor attorney Andrew L. Barroway, who specializes in class-action securities litigation.
In an interview Wednesday morning, Blatstein said his group stands "committed to proceeding with discussions about the purchase of the assets of PMN."
On Monday, the Blatstein group had issued a statement that seemed to set it apart from statements made by the group organized by Rendell, which described the media outlets as a public trust and said that its members might be willing to accept a lower profit margin than pure investors might.
"We reject the notion that operating the dominant print and online source for news and information in the Philadelphia area has to be an act of philanthropy," the Blatstein group said.
