A federal judge has approved Affiliated Media Inc's bankruptcy reorganization plan, clearing the way for the publisher of the Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News to emerge from Chapter 11 protection this month.

Judge Kevin Carey of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, at a Thursday hearing approved the plan, which he called "fair, equitable and reasonable," and warranted by "exceptional and unique circumstances."

Affiliated Media is holding company for MediaNews Group, which it said is the second-largest U.S. newspaper publisher by circulation, owning 54 daily newspapers and more than 100 non-daily newspapers.

The company has said all but one of its newspapers were profitable, but a restructuring was needed because of the slump in advertising, which generates about 80 percent of its revenue. It has said the current environment could not sustain what it called "yesterday's balance sheet."