‘Anticipatory obedience’: newspapers’ refusal to endorse shines light on billionaire owners’ motives

The Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post both declined to endorse a candidate – a sign of political media capture

When two American billionaires blocked the newspapers they own from endorsing Kamala Harris this month, they tried to frame the decision as an act of civic responsibility.

“I think my fear is, if we chose either one, that it would just add to the division,” Patrick Soon-Shiong, the biotech billionaire who owns the Los Angeles Times, said. He emphasised that though some might assume his family is “ultra-progressive”, he is a registered “independent”.

Topics

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‘Anticipatory obedience’: newspapers’ refusal to endorse shines light on billionaire owners’ motives

Topics

Related

Patrick Soon-Shiong: the billionaire LA Times owner who blocked Harris endorsement

Newspaper endorsements have outlived their purpose

These are the major newspapers that have and haven't endorsed Trump and Harris

Puerto Rico's biggest newspaper endorses Harris

The church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris shines in an immersive light show

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How the standard of political endorsements from newspapers has evolved

Trump: Newspapers pulling endorsements means 'I'm doing a great job'

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