Star Tribune Holdings Corp., publisher of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, has applied for a 90-day extension of its control over its bankruptcy proceedings, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

The application was filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York on Monday, and requests that the company retain independent control over its bankruptcy case until August 13, an extension from the original May 15 date. Without the judicial grant of an extension creditors and other parties may offer alternative approaches to the publisher's reorganisation of its debt.

The Star Tribune said the request would allow the publisher "to avoid the necessity of having to finalise a plan of reorganisation prematurely and to ensure that their plan of reorganisation best addresses the interests of the (company), their employees, creditors and estates," company lawyers said in court papers.

Reasons behind the the extension application were the "large and complex" character of the proceedings and the company's desire to reach unanimous agreement with its creditors.

The newspaper publisher filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 15 after failed negotiations with the company's labour unions in an attempt to get $20 million in wage and benefit concessions. Of the Star Tribune's 1,597 staff, around are represented by unions, which include the Newspaper Guild and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The extension hearing is set for May 6.