Major changes are coming to the Los Angeles Times as owner Patrick Soon-Shiong announced plans to create a new editorial board. The move follows the results of the 2024 presidential election, with Soon-Shiong stating that the paper needs a more balanced approach to its political coverage and increased accountability.
However, the announcement has sparked discontent among some members of the editorial staff. Tensions within the newsroom have already been high following Soon-Shiong’s decision to scrap the editorial board’s endorsement of Kamala Harris.
Soon-Shiong revealed the need to revamp the editorial board in a post on X, saying he would work to make the paper and media more fair and balanced.
“All voices must be heard,” he wrote. “We can respectfully exchange every American’s view—from left to right to the center. Coming soon: A new Editorial Board. Trust in media is critical for a strong democracy.”
Some staff members told The Wrap they are concerned that three members of the L.A. Times union, who currently sit on the board, could be removed in the overhaul. Tensions between union members and ownership have been growing since the editorial board was set to endorse Harris, only for Soon-Shiong to reportedly block the endorsement.
The decision not to endorse a presidential candidate led to several high-profile resignations, including editorial page editor Mariel Garza.
In her resignation letter, Garza said, “It makes us look craven and hypocritical, maybe even a bit sexist and racist. How could we spend eight years railing against Trump and the danger his leadership poses to the country and then fail to endorse the perfectly decent Democrat challenger? I’m standing up by stepping down from the editorial board.”
Soon-Shiong responded to the controversy over the paper’s non-endorsement, saying on X that the editorial board was given the opportunity to draft a factual analysis of the positive and negative policies of each candidate but chose to remain silent.
“I accepted their decision,” he said.
A Gallup poll taken before the election shows that Americans continue to have record-low trust in the media. A majority of those surveyed, 69%, said they had “no trust” or “not very much” trust in the information traditional news outlets are reporting.
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