The Baltimore Sun's new owner, David D. Smith, met with staffers today for more than two hours. Many left on edge.
He claimed he had read the paper just four times. He grew up here; his family's local TV empire - Sinclair - is based in Baltimore Co.
Other highlights:
He claimed he had read the paper just four times. He grew up here; his family's local TV empire - Sinclair - is based in Baltimore Co.
Other highlights:
Smith said he paid nine figures, a seemingly staggering sum. (Bezos paid $250M for the WashPost.)
Unclear if the undisclosed figure includes the licensing fees required by Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund that sold the Sun. Smith will rely on Alden's CMS and other services.
Unclear if the undisclosed figure includes the licensing fees required by Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund that sold the Sun. Smith will rely on Alden's CMS and other services.
Smith announced the Sun was profitable and that he'd make it more profitable. He mocked Bezos, saying he didn't intend to lose $50M a year on the paper.
(The Amazon founder is losing more than that.)
(The Amazon founder is losing more than that.)
Smith was dismissive of the Sun's journalism, saying it wasn't publishing enough stories that readers were interested in, saying there was fraud in local government and schools.
And he pointed repeatedly to Sinclair's local station WBFF's flashy reports "Project Baltimore."
And he pointed repeatedly to Sinclair's local station WBFF's flashy reports "Project Baltimore."
The new Sun owner deflected questions about his own political activities, calling himself apolitical.
Smith has been a major funder of GOP candidates; more recently he has funded far-right outfits like Project Veritas and Turning Point USA & financed local ballot initiatives.
Smith has been a major funder of GOP candidates; more recently he has funded far-right outfits like Project Veritas and Turning Point USA & financed local ballot initiatives.
Sinclair owns or controls 200+ stations nationally. It has pulled the news coverage and commentaries on those stations markedly to the right, ultimately becoming quite supportive of Trump.
Smith bought the Sun personally, saying shareholders wouldn't let devote $ to a paper.
Smith bought the Sun personally, saying shareholders wouldn't let devote $ to a paper.
To his perception the paper failed to cover local corruption:
it has revealed repeated scandals at City Hall and police HQ. In 2020, the paper won a Pulitzer for exposing the mayor's corruption and drove her from office. pulitzer.org/winners/staff-…
it has revealed repeated scandals at City Hall and police HQ. In 2020, the paper won a Pulitzer for exposing the mayor's corruption and drove her from office. pulitzer.org/winners/staff-…
The Sun has a proud history dating back to 1837.
I worked there from 1994-2004, and covered media (and Sinclair) for the final four years.
I worked there from 1994-2004, and covered media (and Sinclair) for the final four years.
It has been beat up, cut down and brutalized by a wave of corporate owners, beginning with Tribune in the early 2000s.
The Sun's journalists have soldiered on.
The non-profit Baltimore Banner has risen up but not dispatched the paper.
Unclear what the current moment holds.
The Sun's journalists have soldiered on.
The non-profit Baltimore Banner has risen up but not dispatched the paper.
Unclear what the current moment holds.
I should note this account is based on my conversations with two current Sun staffers
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