In a move that brings The Baltimore Sun back under local ownership, conservative commentator and Black entrepreneur Armstrong Williams has partnered with Maryland businessman David Smith, Sinclair Broadcasting chairman, to purchase the renowned newspaper. The deal was announced on Jan. 16. The paper’s previous owner was investment firm Alden Global Capital.

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While the exact amount of Williams’ ownership share remains undisclosed, Williams owns the broadcast company Howard Stirk Holdings and is known for his conservative viewpoints expressed in nationally syndicated columns.

“We just want to get back to journalism,” Williams told Journal-isms. “We want to show that newspapers can work if you have the right partnership. I couldn’t have a better partner than David Smith.” Smith is making the purchase with his personal funds independently of his company, Sinclair Broadcasting.

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The acquisition takes The Sun out of the hands of Alden Global Capital, placing it under local ownership for the first time in nearly four decades. Smith, a lifelong Maryland resident, graduated from City College in Baltimore City, underscoring his deep connection to the community.

Williams, who is from Marion, SC, also owns a broadcast company operating seven television stations nationwide. Williams, 61, and his company, Howard Stirk Holdings, operate seven television stations nationwide and produces “The Armstrong Williams Show.” He has also published several books, including “What Black and White America Must Do Now: A Prescription to Move Beyond Race,” which he former HUD Secretary Benjamin Carson provided the forward. Williams, Carson, and civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump co-authored “Crisis in the Classroom: Crisis in Education.” The three of them also launched an education advocacy non-profit last year, also called Crisis in the Classroom.

Crump congratulated Williams on X/Twitter.

Armstrong Williams to Be a Baltimore Sun Owner – https://t.co/NIUsV6GLli – I’m very proud of my Brother Armstrong and David. I know that they will do a tremendous job in speaking truth to power and giving marginalized people a voice. The Sun is shining bright across Maryland.

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) January 16, 2024

The Baltimore Sun was founded in 1837.

Sinclair Broadcasting is known for its conservative media portfolio and already owns several daily and weekly newspapers.

Photo: Armstrong Williams, via Armstrong Williams website, https://www.armstrongwilliams.com/lifestyle