Battle For Tribune Publishing Takes On A Political Cast

Fox News claims Tribune bidder Hansjörg Wyss has "a history of left-wing and environmental activism.’"

The battle over who should own Tribune Publishing has broadened from a debate over who should be running the newsrooms into a possible political contest. 

Fox published a story on Wednesday, titled, “Liberal billionaire with ties to Clintons, John Podesta joint top bidder for Tribune Publishing.”

The story states that Hansjörg Wyss, who is partnering with Stewart Bainum Jr. to bid on the publishing company, has “ a history of left-wing and environmental activism.”&nbs p;

advertisement

advertisement

It continues that the Clinton Foundation “publicly thanked Wyss for a $5 million donation for its ‘No Ceilings’ women's rights initiative led by Hillary Clinton.”

Fox adds: “Wyss also sits on the board of directors of the left-wing Center For American Progress, founded by longtime Clinton confidant and 2016 presidential campaign chairman John Podesta.”

It’s not yet clear if Wyss and Bainum will prevail with the $680 million bid they have put together. Nor is it yet apparent if the angle in the Fox story will be the launching pad for an attack on “liberal” newsrooms. 

Stewart Bainum and Hansjörg Wyss have submitted a fully financed offer of $680 million for Tribune Publishing, exceeding the $635 million previously offered by hedge fund Alden Global capital, known for its cost-cutting. And the Tribune board is likely to approve the offer, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Wyss, 85, told The New York Times he wants to own the flagship paper, and that Bainum seeks to control the Baltimore Sun.   

Nonprofit benefactors would be found for the other dailies, including The Hartford Courant, the Orlando Sentinel the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland; The Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania; the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia; and the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia. 

“I don’t want to see another newspaper that has a chance to increase the amount of truth being told to the American people going down the drain,” Wyss said, according to the Times
Next story loading loading..