Gannett-owned USA Today and more than 200 other newspapers in the chain will not endorse any candidate for president – Join the Washington Post And Los Angeles Times By choosing to remain silent on next week’s election.
USA TODAY spokeswoman Lark-Marie Anton said, “No USA TODAY Network publication is making an endorsement in the presidential or national races.” told The Hill.
Anton said that while Gannett-owned publications will not endorse candidates in national races, they do have “discretion” to endorse at the state or local level.
“Many people have decided not to support individual candidates, but instead support key local and state issues on the ballot that impact the community,” Anton told The Hill.
Why are we doing this? Because we believe America’s future is decided locally – one race at a time,” Anton said.
“And with more than 200 publications across the country, our public service aims to provide readers with the key facts and reliable information they need to make informed decisions.”
Gannett owns major papers including The Arizona Republic and the Detroit Free Press.
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos Wrote an op-ed in your newspaper On Monday he defended his decision not to endorse a presidential candidate, calling it “right” and “principled.”
The Amazon founder rejected the notion that he ordered it to protect his business interests.
That decision, announced Friday, reportedly caused thousands of people to cancel their subscriptions and drew protests from journalists with a deep history at the newspaper.
The Post’s editorial staff was ready to support Harris before publisher Will Lewis wrote that it would be better for readers to make up their own minds.
Bezos said in a “note from our boss” published Monday evening that editorial support creates a perception of bias at a time when many Americans don’t trust the media, and does nothing to reduce the scale of the election. Are.
Terminating them is a principled decision, and it is the right one,” Bezos said.
Bezos wrote that he wished the decision to end presidential endorsements had been made earlier, “a moment ahead of the election and the emotions surrounding it.” “That was inadequate planning, not a deliberate strategy.”
NPR reported Monday that more than 200,000 people have canceled their subscriptions to the newspaper, citing “two people with knowledge of internal affairs at the newspaper.”
A Washington Post spokeswoman would not comment on the NPR report.
The Post’s decision comes just days after the Los Angeles Times also said it would not endorse a presidential candidate, which the newspaper acknowledged has cost them thousands of subscribers.
with post wire
