News Guild pushes for Baltimore Sun to be sold to non-profits

The union representing journalists at the Baltimore Sun has started a "Save Our Sun" effort in hopes of removing the paper from corporate ownership and making the Sun operate as a non-profit.

Last year, New York-based hedge Alden Global Capital bought 32% of Tribune Publishing stock, making Alden the largest shareholder of Tribune and giving Alden two seats on the Tribune company board. Tribune owns the Sun, Chicago Tribune, Hartford Courant and other papers. It is expected that Alden will work to obtain majority ownership of Tribune Publishing, and The Sun, as early as this summer, says the Washington-Baltimore News Guild.

“Local foundations and supporters have the capital to take control of The Sun and under this new ownership model, The Sun’s revenue can be used for its right purpose: reporting local news, not enriching financiers at the expense of The Sun's distinguished history and our vibrant region. All we need is for the hedge fund to sell it,” says a guild page on the effort.

“We started Save Our Sun to ensure we have the resources we need to keep doing our jobs, preserve newspapering in Baltimore and prepare a national model for local communities to buy their newspaper back,” said Liz Bowie, a union leader and reporter at The Sun.

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