Baltimore newspaper acquired by conservative media head

[Vespasia]

This is bad news for our area. The Baltimore Sun (and affiliated papers) have been purchased by David D. Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair is a locally based network of stations throughout the country that skew very conservative. Their local TV news coverage is horrendous. It's hyper critical of the city with a heavy emphasis on scare tactics. I actually had to make MH stop watching a few years ago because it was making him anxious. 

Gift link: wapo.st/3vydvzj


The headline from their local Fox station website says "Baltimore Sun returns to local ownership; Life-long Marylander purchases local paper"   Accurate but very different than all the other coverage!

[ECB]

Ugh. I hate the word "conservative" now. To me, it means "I have no respect for anything that I don't agree with".

[wawa]

UGGGHHH sinclair. I hate hearing the commercials for the news after/during football. (which is the only time we watch broadcast TV) It's always this all caps doom and gloom "BALTIMORE IS GOING TO EAT YOUR BABIES" level of lead story. Like, does the fact that crime is DOWN ever come up? no ma'am.

The Sun has felt kinda doomed for a while, like it's been just a bumpy several years from the business side of things and this feels like ultimately it'll be the final nail. related - How freakin' weird would it be for the sun to turn conservative? Like strange to read. Like...the sun as the Baltimore equivalent of the NY Post? wut?

In related anecdote - I canceled the sun earlier this year went ahead and got a subscription to the Banner because they reliably have reporting of really hyperlocal stuff that's relevant to me and I can't justify 3 newspapers. (I also have a WaPo sub). It's nice to have reliable reporting of things at the county level. I also have enjoyed their approach to food and travel reporting which is like, zero percent snobby and feels supportive of the city. Like tell me this isn't one of the cutest damn news stories ever:
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/travel/bike-weekend-trip-baltimore-torrey-c-brown-ncr-rail-trail-H26P5BRBXJH5XFFC5AVX4EGRCQ/
also includes this gem of a line: I did not expect to encounter an open supporter of QAnon on the bike trail, but I guess conspiracy theorists need a place to enjoy the fresh air, too.

[Vespasia]

wawa I like the Banner but have always found it odd that they heavily promote Atlas Restaurant Group both in their advertising and their food media. Not only has Atlas been called out for shitty racist behavior in the past, they're owned by...members of the Sinclair broadcasting family.

[wildrice]

wawa, that's good to know about the Banner, I'll subscribe there too! I have been a Sun subscriber for the last few years, but I was planning to cancel anyway because they raised their price to $24 a month starting later this month, and I think that's absurd. I don't mind paying for journalism but I do not read it enough to justify almost $300 a year just on local news - I also subscribe to the NYT and pay much less for what I would consider much broader access to information.

I don't know anything about whoever previously owned the Sun, but it's disappointing they would sell to Sinclair. I would say the Sun currently skews liberal so this is a strange flip to make. I guess I should stop being surprised that money means more than values to many people.

[wawa]

Jan 16, 2024 10:09:44 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

wawa I like the Banner but have always found it odd that they heavily promote Atlas Restaurant Group both in their advertising and their food media. Not only has Atlas been called out for shitty racist behavior in the past, they're owned by...members of the Sinclair broadcasting family.

that part is weird. I noticed that before I subscribed and was a little squinty eyed about it though I feel like it's showing up less lately because I've been looking for it. 

[rubytue]

CITY IN CRISIS!! It’s like the only line they say on Fox45 news. H made the mistake of turning it on one night, waiting for a game. I went off. He said I was overreacting at first, but has since come around.

I don’t have a lot to say, as I canceled the Sun awhile back. It just was too expensive for not that much good content.

[fortnightlily]

I read about this on David Simon's X/Twitter feed (creator of the "The Wire" who worked as a journalist for The Sun for many years). He also encourages folks to subscribe to Banner instead. www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/the-wire-creator-david-simon-reacts-baltimore-sun-sold-sinclair-tv-chairman-1235789451/

[tacokick]

I do not like the Banner at all and don’t see them as a valid alternative to a real newspaper. Every time there has been some very valid criticism of them, they react in a very unprofessional manner and shut down. It’s run and reads like a community blog imo

[wawa]

Jan 16, 2024 18:01:39 GMT -5 tacokick said:

I do not like the Banner at all and don’t see them as a valid alternative to a real newspaper. Every time there has been some very valid criticism of them, they react in a very unprofessional manner and shut down. It’s run and reads like a community blog imo

can you point me at an example?  I'm only a recent subscriber, and I remember hearing about controversy with one of their guest editorials a while ago, but I didn't catch an unprofessional response (or what their response was at all) since they weren't super on my radar at the time.

[wawa]

But regardless of if the Banner is any good, this purchase of the Sun sucks. And not just because Sinclair is conservative - but like, media consolidation is I think, bad on the face of it.

I can't imagine being a journalist these days. Sucks for us all, sucks extra to be on the front lines of that partiuclary part of the suck.

[tacokick]

Jan 16, 2024 21:20:35 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jan 16, 2024 18:01:39 GMT -5 tacokick said:

I do not like the Banner at all and don’t see them as a valid alternative to a real newspaper. Every time there has been some very valid criticism of them, they react in a very unprofessional manner and shut down. It’s run and reads like a community blog imo

can you point me at an example?  I'm only a recent subscriber, and I remember hearing about controversy with one of their guest editorials a while ago, but I didn't catch an unprofessional response (or what their response was at all) since they weren't super on my radar at the time.

One of many examples, they referred to a neighborhood as “Jewtown” in an article and argued publicly on Twitter (and in emails responding to concerns) about how that was a valid name for the neighborhood and would not change it to the actual name of the community.

There are so many stories about that place but I don’t want to share anything told to me in confidence.

[tacokick]

Jan 16, 2024 21:22:05 GMT -5 wawa said:

But regardless of if the Banner is any good, this purchase of the Sun sucks. And not just because Sinclair is conservative - but like, media consolidation is I think, bad on the face of it.

I can't imagine being a journalist these days. Sucks for us all, sucks extra to be on the front lines of that partiuclary part of the suck.

Media consolidation is horrible. This basically leaves Maryland without a reputable newspaper at all.

[Vespasia]

Well damn.

New Baltimore Sun owner insults staff in meeting, says paper should mimic Fox45
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/economy/baltimore-sun-david-smith-sinclair-owner-F77S3D47ORD7LNEPZ7PJCXSLWM/




Not surprised by his views, just that there wasn't even the slightest attempt not to make himself look like an asshole.

[rubytue]

Vespasia, I just came in to post that link. Debating it given the discussions of the Banner. But also, just wow. Sounds like he bought it to close it down, IMHO. Or at least ruin it a la Elon.

[wawa]

Jan 16, 2024 21:33:05 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Jan 16, 2024 21:20:35 GMT -5 wawa said:

can you point me at an example?  I'm only a recent subscriber, and I remember hearing about controversy with one of their guest editorials a while ago, but I didn't catch an unprofessional response (or what their response was at all) since they weren't super on my radar at the time.

One of many examples, they referred to a neighborhood as “Jewtown” in an article and argued publicly on Twitter (and in emails responding to concerns) about how that was a valid name for the neighborhood and would not change it to the actual name of the community.

There are so many stories about that place but I don’t want to share anything told to me in confidence.

Goddamnit.  I just want a local goddamn newspaper.  *sigh*  
Now the fun decision of do I stay a subscriber because they are providing a service I need (keeping me up to date on things happening specifically in my community) or drop them because of general fuckery.  Leaning toward the second, but COME ON.  shit sandwich 

[tacokick]

Jan 17, 2024 9:31:39 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jan 16, 2024 21:33:05 GMT -5 tacokick said:

One of many examples, they referred to a neighborhood as “Jewtown” in an article and argued publicly on Twitter (and in emails responding to concerns) about how that was a valid name for the neighborhood and would not change it to the actual name of the community.

There are so many stories about that place but I don’t want to share anything told to me in confidence.

Goddamnit.  I just want a local goddamn newspaper.  *sigh*  
Now the fun decision of do I stay a subscriber because they are providing a service I need (keeping me up to date on things happening specifically in my community) or drop them because of general fuckery.  Leaning toward the second, but COME ON.  shit sandwich 

Yeah, I can’t give them my money.

The Baltimore Beat is solid imo but smaller in scale.

[somersault72]

Ugh. Sinclair is the worst. We have a Sinclair channel in our city.