The move comes two months after the media conglomerate emerged from bankruptcy.

Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said the company has received "a lot of interest" in its newspapers. Hiring the firms, he said, will help Tribune Co. determine whether a potential buyer's interest is credible and assist the company in considering its options.

The sale of the newspapers has been widely expected, especially after the company appointed a group of TV-focused board members and hired former Discovery Communications chief operating officer Peter Liguori as its CEO last month.