The Baltimore Sun is returning to local ownership — with a buyer who has made his politics clear
The return of a struggling newspaper from an investment firm to a local owner would normally be cause for celebration in the troubled news industry
A local buyer taking over a struggling newspaper in the 21st century is normally cause for some celebration. But The Baltimore Sun’s newly announced owner has a very specific political background, and some are concerned about what the 187-year-old publication could become.
David D. Smith, executive chairman of the Sinclair broadcasting chain and an active contributor to conservative causes, has bought Baltimore Sun Media from the investment firm Alden Global Capital. The purchase price was not disclosed.
Smith met with employees of The Sun on Tuesday to talk about his plans, saying he hopes to make the newsroom more profitable. He was not made available for an interview with The Associated Press.
In a Sun story announcing the sale a day earlier, Smith said that he was in the news business because he believes “we have an absolute responsibility to serve the public interest.” He also criticized the city’s “mainstream media” while acknowledging that he began reading the paper regularly only a few months ago.
