Newspapers Should be an Independent Public Forum

by Jenny Blanchard

Both the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times failed to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, breaking a decades-long tradition of doing so. Journalists across the globe have condemned this decision as a dereliction of duty in an election where the choice could not be starker. It is important to note that both papers are owned by billionaires whose own fortunes would benefit from the economic and tax policies of a Trump administration.

Newspapers should be an independent public forum exempt from the interests of corporate entities or high net worth individuals. The failure to endorse reflects cowardice on the part of both papers, and a number of senior editors have resigned in protest. The Washington Post is fond of boasting that “democracy dies in darkness.” It appears that sometimes it dies in broad daylight.