Nearly 2,000 Los Angeles Times subscribers recently cancelled their subscriptions to the paper due to discontent over the editorial board’s inability to endorse Kamala Harris for president. After the paper’s editorials editor, Mariel Garza, resigned in protest, two more members of the board followed suit. The owner of the paper, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, stated that his refusal to allow endorsements was an effort to avoid divisiveness in politics, but this explanation was met with criticism.
Current and former journalists at the Los Angeles Times are also expressing frustration and confusion over the lack of transparency regarding Soon-Shiong’s decision. Despite this, Soon-Shiong emphasized the importance of supporting journalism to preserve democracy. In response to the cancellations, the union representing Los Angeles Times journalists urged readers to reconsider, highlighting the impact on the newsroom staff.
The controversy has also garnered attention from outside sources, with actor Mark Hamill publicly announcing his cancellation of his subscription to the Los Angeles Times in protest. The situation remains ongoing, with discontent among staff and readers continuing as the paper grapples with the fallout from its owner’s decision. The future of the Los Angeles Times and its editorial practices remains uncertain as the debate over journalistic integrity and editorial independence continues.
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