L.A. Times, Washington Post see subscription cancellations over not endorsing in presidential race

SUMMARY

The decision by the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post not to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election, despite their editorial boards advocating for Vice President Kamala Harris, has sparked significant backlash. This backlash is reflected in considerable subscription cancellations: the Washington Post lost over 200,000 subscribers, approximately 8% of its readership, and the Los Angeles Times experienced a 1.8% drop due to this issue. The owners of these newspapers, Jeff Bezos of the Washington Post and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong of the Los Angeles Times, justified their decisions by arguing that endorsements could create a perception of bias, aiming instead for a stance of editorial independence.