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Newspaper non-endorsements at Washington Post, LA Times fit a trend, but their readers aren’t happy

Livemint · 8m

The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times have faced backlash from readers for their decisions not to endorse a candidate for the upcoming US presidential election. Post owner Jeff Bezos defended the move, stating that people perceive endorsements as biased. The fallout from the decisions has resulted in the resignation of three members of the Post's editorial board and thousands of canceled subscriptions. Studies have shown that readers pay little heed to endorsements, and owners fear alienating subscribers in a politically polarized climate. However, some newspapers are continuing to endorse candidates, going against the trend of non-endorsements.