Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore

Da Sun, The Baltimore Sun purchased by Sinclair’s David D. Smith "Business leader uses own funds in deal, returns Sun to local ownership"

The Baltimore Sun, the largest newspaper in Maryland, has been acquired in a private deal by David D. Smith, executive chairman of Hunt Valley-based television station owner Sinclair Inc.

Smith said Monday that he acquired Baltimore Sun Media on Friday from investment firm Alden Global Capital, marking the first time in nearly four decades that The Sun will be in the hands of a local owner.

Smith decided to personally buy the newspaper, along with the Capital Gazette papers in Annapolis, Carroll County Times, Towson Times and several other Baltimore-area weeklies and magazines, because of the publications’ focus on local news in the Baltimore area.

“I’m in the news business because I believe … we have an absolute responsibility to serve the public interest,” Smith said in an interview. “I think the paper can be hugely profitable and successful and serve a greater public interest over time.
. . .
Smith would not disclose how much he paid for Baltimore Sun Media. He purchased the newspaper group independently of Sinclair, which is known for its ownership of television stations and local news programming across the U.S. and a recent failed foray into regional sports network ownership. The Sinclair empire started with Baltimore’s WBFF Fox 45 television station.

Through his purchase of The Sun, Smith said he aims to help turn around a struggling newspaper industry, a decline he blamed on the industry’s inability to adapt to a changing market and to the internet, which has upended consumption and delivery of news and advertising.

He said he believes he can grow subscriptions and advertising for The Sun and its other publications by focusing more heavily on local and community news and investigations, boosting the use of video and social media, and integrating technology in ways other print media companies have been unable to do.

Smith criticized “mainstream media” in general for focusing on issues he said affect only a few people as opposed to those affecting greater numbers, adding that he finds it “curious that the mainstream media in this town often chooses not to cover things that affect everybody,” in particular concerning problems and corruption in government.

He said his first step will be to meet with staff and management of The Sun and its affiliates Tuesday to begin to understand the publications’ mission and operations and start discussions around future vision.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair comments  "This sounds exciting. It’s the first major newspaper purchase by a conservative owner that I can recall for a very long time. Smith says he wants to focus on local news and fact-based reporting as a model for profitability, almost exactly the opposite approach Jeff Bezos took with the Washington Post. It will be very much worth watching, especially for Williams’ contribution."

I usually have low cost leader e-subscription to the Sun which I use mostly for Chesapeake Bay related content. If it actually does become a more conservative  paper, we might have to drop the WaPoo and pick up the Sun. I'm not holding my breath, though.