Brian Tierney had one of his toughest days yet Wednesday, watching the newspaper company he tried to succeed with handed over to a group of creditors who will likely not include him in its future, and may well cut it back further.

Tierney is the longtime business man and advertising veteran who brought together investors in 2006 to take over the Philadelphia Newspapers, which include the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News.

For the past four years, he helped keep the papers going, with staff cuts, union battles and creative revenue ideas that did not always please journalism traditionalists. He also brought in veteran editor William Marimow, a newspaper editor who ranks with the best of them.

In the end, however, his efforts were not enough. Whether it was poor decisions, the economy or the changing face of newspapers, the effort ended when creditors took over the company via a bankruptcy-sparked auction, for some $135 million.

Did Tierney do everything right? No. Evidenced by the outcome. But credit him for taking on the challenge when the newspapers were up for sale following the purchase of former owner Knight Ridder by McClatchy.

Tierney is a local guy who wanted the papers to stay local and have some relevance to the community. Will the creditors who are taking over make things worse? Possibly. If they follow a bottom-line mentality, expect more cuts, changes and perhaps even a merger of the two papers.

Let's hope not. This city like many others losing a daily paper needs two. And hopefully the future owners, whoever they may be, will see that as they move forward.

As for Tierney, give him credit for trying. In today's newspaper world, that alone is an accomplishment.