According to Wednesday's Washington Times, the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is looking to purchase Philadelphia's two major newspapers, raising concerns of liberal bias. Paul Davies, the Philadelphia Inquirer's former deputy editorial page editor slammed the possible move, saying, "Essentially, the Inquirer will cease to exist as a legitimate newspaper."
Ex-DNC chair and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, along with New Jersey Democratic operative George Norcross are attempting to buy the Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com. Washington Times writer Dave Boyer asserted that critics worry this "would turn the papers into mere mouthpieces of the Democratic Party in a 2012 swing state."
Boyer explained:
Journalists at both papers are so concerned that nearly 300 of them signed a public statement last week calling on the current and any future owners to protect the integrity of their reporting. They said the current owner, Philadelphia Media Network (PMN), has censored their coverage of the sale.
“As The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com have gone up for sale once again, we watched with dismay as our own coverage of the process was compromised and censored,” the statement says.
Boyer added that conflicts about as "Mr. Rendell's group include parking magnate Lewis Katz and Ed Snider, chairman of Comcast Spectacor and owner of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team."
