Baltimore Sun: Reporting with a spin

Baltimore Sun: reporting with a spin

Maryland’s major newspaper, the Baltimore Sun, has a long and noble reputation since its inception 175 years ago. History was painted across its pages as time moved into the future. The Sun’s present incarnation is a shadow of its former self. Looking for in depth reporting and well researched articles one must look elsewhere. Journalism cannot be defined by the abbreviated news pieces that are spun to give the reader vertigo. Technological advances do not excuse the Sun for their inaccurate, distorted and biased reporting. Readers of the Sun are treated to filtered news replete with omissions, deletions and or outright distortions that presently defines this once great lady. Crime has especially been cleansed from its pages or diminished to present a picture of Baltimore City and its environs as a place at peace with itself. Government entities are placed on pedestals irregardless of the harm they inflict on the population. A murder in Harford County where a blind man was stabbed to death by an intruder who entered the victim’s apartment was cleansed from its pages quickly. Why, because of the racial overtones of the murder. A recent scandal at the Board of Physicians brought to the surface by a negative Maryland Legislative audit was suppressed. The Baltimore Examiner was the major source for this report and the subsequent firings and sudden retirements in this administrative entity. Sun’s use of photos has the majority of the people presented as gleeful and all smiles when the news is anything but pleasant. When third graders were finally able to read at second grade level the Sun proclaimed the excellent education Maryland is providing its youth. Crime, entitlements, bloated government bureaucracies, deficient education, a state government lauded for its bad decisions, a judicial system that legislates from the bench, reverse discrimination, egregious  misuse of tax dollars and much more fail to have any analysis from Sun or acknowledgement these problems exist. Newspapers are failing in many jurisdictions around the country. People do not trust intentional distortions of the news that emanate from these media sources. Baltimore Sun is propped up by a larger corporate entity that has not allowed the bottom to fall out yet. The Sun would be wise to veer away from its obvious agenda and to accurately report Maryland news, because that is not occurring presently. For a great alternative read the Baltimore Examiner, learn what you are not getting from its sibling. Mark Davis MD, President of Healthnets Review Services, advisor to the media and others on health related issues. platomd@gmail.com