BALTIMORE — A friend of the businessman whose nonprofit is poised to acquire The Baltimore Sun newspaper said that he views journalism as a foundation of American democracy.

The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that Stewart Bainum Jr. is worried that American democracy could be eroding.

He believes that building a successful nonprofit news model could help to preserve it.

The Sun spoke to Baltimore entrepreneur Mike Rosenbaum.

He’s known Bainum since 2014. Bainum is chairman of Choice Hotels International.

The newspaper chain Tribune Publishing plans to sell its newspapers to Alden Global Capital. But as part of the deal, Alden could sell The Sun to a nonprofit established by Bainum.