MediaNews Inc. chief executive Billy Dean Singleton (left) — who has been under attack in some journalism circles as he bids for 12 Knight Ridder newspapers — will discuss “the challenges and opportunities facing quality journalism” during a panel discussion April 24 at the American Society of Newspaper Editors convention in Seattle. Joining him on the panel will be McClatchy Co. chairman and chief executive Gary Pruitt (right) and Alberto Ibargüen, former editor of the KR-owned Miami Herald who now heads the John S. Knight Foundation. McClatchy has agreed to buy the Knight Ridder chain of 32 daily newspapers. In order to reduce debt from the deal, McClatchy is selling 12 KR papers including the Contra Costa Times, San Jose Mercury News, Palo Alto Daily News Group and Monterey Herald. It is widely believed that Singleton — who owns the Oakland Tribune and seven other dailies in the Bay Area — will buy those papers. Singleton has come under attack for cost-cutting at papers he has acquired previously.