The death of Channel 3 owner Jim Rogers on Saturday has prompted an outpouring of well deserved plaudits for his philanthropy and dedication to the community and education, but perhaps the most interesting item with far-reaching implications for the future was atop Norm Clarke’s column today.
Though Rogers had told the staff of KSNV-TV this past December, during his battle with cancer, that “whatever happens, the station will not be put up for sale,” Clarke reports those staffers are concerned about a recent visit by Sinclair Broadcast Group chairman, president and CEO David D. Smith.
While Rogers was an unrepentant liberal, Smith’s group, which has been on a TV station buying binge, is die-hard conservative.
Such a sale would have implications for programming and personnel — such as the lowly rated Jon Ralston program.
In 2004 Sinclair stations were ordered to air a documentary critical of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Its newscasts often include editorials by conservative commentator Mark Hyman. The stations supported Mitt Romney. In 2010 they ran a 25-minute piece that said Obama “displays tendencies some would call socialist.”
Clarke reports:
If Sinclair were to purchase Channel 3, it likely would have major political implications.
“It could go from liberal ownership to conservative,” said a source at the station. “Jim more than leaned left and these guys more than lean right.”
Though Rogers and I locked horns on a few occasions over the past decades, he was always personally courteous and civil. He has given many people a second chance and has been good for the community. He leaves a legacy.
We’ll wait and see what the next chapter at Channel 3 is. Perhaps, it was just a friendly visit by someone in the same business.
Jim Rogers and I. (screen grab)
4TH ST8 
Jim Rogers was most certainly a Liberal. BUT he was old guard Liberal…from the days when Liberals meant what they said in being open minded and accepting of other beliefs and views.
RIP Jim Rogers, you will be missed in the Southern Nevada community.
As for Channel 3, all bets are off once the family gets an eyeful of the money they can walk away with.
I would have thought they would wait a respectful amount of time before shopping the station..makes me think Jim Roger’s family is not as old school Liberal as he was.
Wishful thinking, maybe a modern liberal organization will take it over, maybe Harry Reid partisans will buy it and he will be on around the clock hammering the Koch brothers and uncooperative conservatives in Congress and reminiscing about Searchlight.
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