NEWS
By From Sun staff and news services | November 6, 2008
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., the Hunt Valley-based operator of 58 U.S. television stations, reported yesterday an unexpected increase in third-quarter profit on higher revenue from political advertising and lower amortization costs. Net income rose to $11.7 million, or 14 cents a share, from $9.9 million, or 11 cents, a year earlier, the company said. Per-share profit beat the 9-cent average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. With a sinking economy expected to further hurt advertising, Sinclair said it is cutting costs in areas such as salaries, travel and entertainment as well as promotion expenses and capital spending.
NEWS
By Lorraine Mirabella | February 7, 2008
Political advertising that could reach record levels is expected to boost revenue this year for Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., the company said yesterday. Sinclair, which owns and operates television stations in 35 markets, said net broadcast revenue from continuing operations will likely grow to between $160.2 million and $162.5 million in the first three months of 2008, compared with net revenue of $148.3 million in the first quarter of 2007. The projected increase for the broadcaster, which owns affiliates of FOX, MyTV, ABC, CW, CBS and NBC, assumes a jump in political advertising as well as an estimated $5 million in revenue from advertising during the Super Bowl.
NEWS
By Andrew A. Green | September 20, 2006
Megan Hardy, an education major at Towson University, has taken her time to figure out who should get her very first vote for governor this fall. She has thought about the issues and talked to her friends, but one thing she hasn't done to make up her mind is pay the slightest bit of attention to the millions of dollars' worth of TV ads that Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley are using to pump up their accomplishments and...
NEWS
March 24, 2005
TV stations must accept political ads The balance of political advertising vs. political coverage by America's television stations is certainly a topic worthy of discussion. But Michael Olesker's column "Foraging for funds not exactly a Dutch treat" (March 18) presented only half of the issue. Here's the other side of the story: Over the years, television stations such as WBAL-TV have offered free air time to candidates, only to be rejected over and over again. Candidates are reluctant to appear in a debate format; the free time they prefer is a 30-second message carefully crafted by their political consultants.
NEWS
August 6, 2004
In The Region Sinclair Broadcast earns $20 million vs. loss in 2Q last year Political advertising and new business initiatives lifted Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.'s second-quarter net income to $20.2 million, compared with a loss of $1.9 million in the quarter last year. The Hunt Valley company said its net broadcast revenue was $179.9 million for the three months that ended June 30, an increase of 2.9 percent over the $174.9 million reported in the second quarter last year. Diluted income per share was 24 cents, compared with a loss of 2 cents per share a year earlier.
NEWS
By Julie Hirschfeld Davis | December 11, 2003
WASHINGTON - In a landmark ruling yesterday with implications for the 2004 elections and beyond, a narrowly divided Supreme Court upheld the heart of a sweeping campaign finance law that bans large, unregulated donations to political parties. The law, hailed by its supporters as a way to dampen the influence of big money on elections, bars parties and candidates from collecting contributions known as "soft money" that in the past 15 years have become a central element in the way campaigns are financed.
NEWS
By Michael Hill | November 3, 2002
If you watch television these days, you would think everyone running for office is trying to take medicine from your elderly parents, candy from your baby and money from your pocketbook, denying education to your children and generally subverting the American dream and ruining all that is good about this country. Such are the people who want to be our government's leaders. It's negative political advertising. "Hey, you might not like me, but my opponent is worse!" If pride in your candidate will not get you to the polls, then fear of the other guy - or gal - might.
NEWS
By David Folkenflik | October 2, 2002
What Republican congressman is trolling for political support from those who follow the treacly story lines of NBC's Providence? What state's lieutenant governor thinks she can win votes by advertising on WMAR during the mentally taxing Wheel of Fortune? Answers to those questions in just two short paragraphs. (The local television news tease is really underrated as an art form. People should use it more often in their daily lives, as in: "What child of mine failed to rake the leaves this weekend?
NEWS
By Larry Carson | December 21, 2001
Lynne Bergling's campaign for Howard County Council won't feature her "standing on street corners, distracting traffic," by waving political signs, she says. But Councilman Christopher J. Merdon, the Ellicott City Republican whom Bergling hopes to unseat, has been out waving signs at motorists for weeks, not to mention knocking on doors every Saturday and Sunday. "I think it's critical to be able to get out and meet people face to face," Merdon says - even 11 months before the election.
NEWS
By Stacey Hirsh | February 2, 2001
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. said yesterday that its broadcast cash flow, an important industry yardstick, went up 8 percent to $101.2 million and that net broadcast revenue rose 7.2 percent to $199.5 for the fourth quarter. For the quarter that ended Dec. 31, the Cockeysville-based company said its net income available to holders of common shares dropped 68 percent to $56.5 million, or 65 cents per diluted share, from $176.8 million, or $1.82 per diluted share, in the corresponding quarter of 1999.