Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong has faced increased interference with the paper’s editorial independence since the election, and in recent weeks he will be mildly critical of Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments. The New York Times reported Thursday that the editorial had been killed.
The Times said the editorial did not feature strong left-wing viewpoints. Instead, he argued that the U.S. Senate should not waive its constitutional obligation to provide “advice and consent” to presidential appointments.
Nevertheless, Soon-Shiong argued in the opinion piece titled “Donald Trump’s cabinet choices are not normal.” That’s how the Senate confirmation process should be. ” The Times said it will run alongside an article arguing the contrary.
The article skyrocketed because the deadline was tight and, according to the era, LA Times editors were “embarrassed” by the request.
Before the election, Soon-Shiong canceled the paper’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris and an article titled “The Case Against Trump.” He provided multiple and often contradictory justifications for these decisions.
Mr. Soon-Shiong also enacted or announced changes that appeared to be intended to make the Los Angeles Times more right-wing. In it, he appointed right-wing commentator Scott Jennings to the paper’s editorial board and attached a so-called “bias meter” powered by AI software to LA Times news articles that provides rewriting of opposing stories. I also suggested that. perspective — effectively accusing the journalists who pay his salary of bias.
