Smith Back, Politics Gone

Fascinating case. The well-known sports writer and commentator Stephen A. Smith halted his columns for Philly Inquirer a couple of years ago after paper demanded that he drop his political opining from his web site and other venues. He returned today after agreeing to that --but an arbitrator is studying whether this fits ethics of guild contract. Excerpt from Richard Prince:

Smith's agreement to the Inquirer's ethics policy — which he contends has not been applied to other news employees — applies "until the dispute is resolved by an arbitrator," Bill Ross, executive director of the Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers Association of America Local 38010, told Journal-isms.

While the capitulation, however temporary, silences Smith's views on politics, it also removes the Inquirer's rationale for not running his column.

"I'm glad the employer has done the right thing and published SAS column," Ross said via e-mail. Smith "continues to scan the sports landscape, and will continue to produce top notch columns for the Philadelphia Inquirer, that no doubt will attract readers back, who have stopped reading due to SAS long absence."