'Balancing Act: A New Voice for the LA Times'

Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the LA Times, has a big goal: to make the paper more balanced. He thinks the paper has mixed up news and opinion, so he wants to change that. He plans to bring in more conservative voices to balance the left-leaning side. His idea is that news should be just facts, and opinions should be just that – opinions. Soon-Shiong bought the LA Times in 2018 for $500 million. He wants the paper to reflect both sides of the political debate, just like CNN did when they brought in a Republican strategist. He believes this is important for democracy. He knows it won't be easy, and he'll face criticism, but he thinks it's crucial to hear all voices.

The LA Times has been endorsing Democratic candidates since 2008. But Soon-Shiong decided not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris because of her support for Israel's actions in Gaza. This caused some staffers to resign. The Washington Post also decided not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 race. This led to some staff resignations and over 250, 000 readers canceling their subscriptions.

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