Sources: Washington Post editorial staffers had drafted an endorsement of Harris for president, and then Jeff Bezos made the decision not to publish it (Washington Post)

Mediagazer: Sources: Washington Post editorial staffers had drafted an endorsement of Harris for president, and then Jeff Bezos made the decision not to publish it (Washington Post)

Top News:

NPR:

The Washington Post will not endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election, “nor in any future election,” writes CEO Will Lewis in a note to readers— Even though the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris remains neck and neck …
Discussion: Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, Media Nation, New York Times, The Wrap, CNN, The Hill, @brianstelter, @postbaron, Breitbart, New Republic, HuffPost, Gizmodo, @bgrueskin, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, @brhodes, acecomments.mu.nu, The Moderate Voice, @davidu, @maxwelltani, Le Monde.fr, @ilvestoomas, @jessicalessin, Business Insider, Deadline, @cgasparino, Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn, @markjacob16, @jimstewartson, @robertbalkovich, @leahmcelrath, @abbymcdonald, @deggans, @mikiebarb, @mlbellar@universeodon.com, @touge@hachyderm.io, @mikeisaac, RedState, The Daily Caller, @benjaminwittes …, @dylanbyers, @jonnelledge, @janemayernyer, @heerjeet, @radleybalko.bsky.social, @pblest, @tomcoates, @tomtomorrow.bsky.social, CNBC, @danpfeiffer, ZeroHedge News, @igb@mastodon.hccp.org, @zurch.bsky.social, @greene.haus, @ditzkoff, @semaforben, @benmullin, @jesseltaylor.bsky.social, @statindy, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @swelljoe@mas.to, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @rexhuppke, @greene.haus, @bri_sacks, @drewsav, @kevin_kinkead, @nkulw, @jamellebouie.net, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @blogoftheirown, @martyswant, @tvietor08, @dfeldman.bsky.social, @sjjphd.bsky.social, @dfeldman.bsky.social, @kashana.bsky.social, freebeacon.com, Barrett Media, @mccartneywp, HotAir, Status and r/Journalism

Discussion:

William Lewis /
Washington Post: On political endorsement — A note from the publisher: — This article is free to access.Why?

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Washington Post Surprise: Paper Now Won't Endorse Presidential Candidates

Anna Betts /
The Guardian: Washington Post says it won't endorse presidential candidate for first time in 30 years

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: Jeff Bezos, too, shows Trump ‘anticipatory obedience’; plus, death for sale, and Billy Penn at 10

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: Washington Post Won't Endorse a Presidential Candidate for First Time in 36 Years

Hadas Gold /
CNN: Washington Post will not endorse a candidate in 2024 presidential election, breaking decades of tradition

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Washington Post not endorsing presidential candidate for first time in decades

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Washington Post's announcement: “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”

Marty Baron /
@postbaron: On political endorsement https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty. @realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.

Wendell Husebø /
Breitbart: Washington Post Snubs Kamala Harris with Non-Endorsement

Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani /
New Republic: Jeff Bezos Proves He's a Coward With Washington Post Endorsement News

Sara Boboltz /
HuffPost: Washington Post Declines To Make Presidential Endorsement For First Time In Decades

Tom Maxwell /
Gizmodo: Jeff Bezos Reportedly Stops Washington Post From Making a Presidential Endorsement

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: Here's the thing about these LAT/WPost non-endorsements. They're unimportant politically; few votes would be swayed. But the billionaire owners are (intentionally or not) sending a signal to the newsrooms: Prepare to accommodate your coverage to a Trump regime. [image]

Tom Boggioni /
Raw Story: ‘Plain old cowardice’: WaPo publisher facing wave of outrage over endorsement snub

Cristina Laila /
The Gateway Pundit: IT'S OVER: In Huge Blow to Kamala Harris, the Washington Post Won't Endorse a Presidential Candidate For First Time Since 1980s After Tense Meeting with Editor

Ben Rhodes /
@brhodes: There is no logic that isn't damning as to why the Washington Post and LA Times feel they can endorse in every local, state and federal election other than a presidential race. acecomments.mu.nu: Confirmed: Washington Post Will Not Endorse Kamala; Leftwing Activists Pretending to be Journalists Cope and Seethe

Kathy Gill /
The Moderate Voice: Washington Post joins LA Times in journalistic malpractice: neither paper will issue presidential endorsement

David Ulevitch /
@davidu: Incredible to see the major cracks appearing as a result of the constant media lies (on Kamala, on Trump, on Biden, on Israel, on Europe, etc.). They can't say the truth about Kamala nor can they endorse a man they compare to Hitler, so WaPo now, and LA Times endorse nobody—Wild! [image]

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Opinion staff at WaPo are furious about the paper's endorsement decision. Several are contemplating what action to take, ranging from resigning, quitting the board, or a statement. “If you doin't have the balls to own a newspaper, don't,” one Post opinion employee tells me. @ilvestoomas: When major newspapers begin pre-emptively to self-censor you can no longer trust their content. My parents saw this when the Sovs occupied Estonia. Friends from a number of once liberal democracies have seen it. We always see it in the dimming crepuscular light before a

Jessica Lessin /
@jessicalessin: A person could make interesting arguments on both sides of whether today, a newspaper should endorse a political candidate or whether readers should care. But you cannot argue changes in policy at washpo and Latimes within two weeks of an election— as the polls tip slightly more

Geoff Weiss /
Business Insider: Washington Post reports that owner Jeff Bezos stopped it from endorsing Kamala Harris

Charles Gasparino /
@cgasparino: woke reporters over there are losing their minds

Michael Learmonth /
Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn: What's unconscionable about this is the timing: fine to say you're getting out of the presidential endorsements business …

Mark Jacob /
@markjacob16: As fascism rose in America, the Washington Post adopted the slogan “Democracy dies in darkness.” Now WaPo has turned cowardly, skipping a presidential endorsement to appease Trump. Perhaps WaPo will change its slogan to: Democracy dies in our silence. https://www.npr.org/... @jimstewartson: I cannot imagine a more disgraceful move by a newspaper I grew up with—whose motto is “Democracy dies in darkness.” Just devastating to see once great institutions be laid so low. However, and this is important, now you will get to really see who is who. Never let them forget.

Robert Balkovich /
@robertbalkovich: Legacy media is facing a red alert crisis. If the paper whose slogan is “Democracy Dies in Darkness” cannot bring itself to endorse the candidate running against someone vowing to destroy press freedom there needs to be some kind of serious intervention and change.

Leah McElrath /
@leahmcelrath: To be fair, the @washingtonpost said, “Democracy dies in darkness.” They never said they wouldn't participate in killing it in broad daylight.

Abby McDonald /
@abbymcdonald: Democracy dies in darkness, except when 43% of our potential customer base prefers the darkness, in which case it's a valid viewpoint that must be respected by keeping the lights off for everyone. @deggans: The Washington Post makes it official: It has published a statement from its publisher saying that, for the first time in many years, it will not endorse a candidate in the presidential race, though it has endorsed candidates in other races. https://www.cnn.com/...

Michael Barbaro /
@mikiebarb: A WaPo endorsement for president had been written and was ready to publish before Jeff Bezos decided the paper would not endorse. [image] @mlbellar@universeodon.com: “Fascism comes to America” - the silence of bent knees — If we the people survive this election, Never Forget, Never Forgive. — https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...

Mike Tougeron /
@touge@hachyderm.io: What the actual $*&?!? With all of their editorial posts, criticisms of #Trump, warnings about what his presidency would entail, etc, they decide not to endorse #Harris?!? What a spineless, weak, pitiful decision. How can they make all of those claims yet not endorse her? …

Rat King /
@mikeisaac: the throughline is tech corporate stewardship and bracing for a trump presidency big tech moguls who dont own media companies doing the same even if you believe editorial board influence is waning in the internet age, i cant see how this does anything but neuter them further

Susie Moore /
RedState: YUGE: WaPo Declares It Will Not Endorse a Presidential Candidate This Election

Nicole Silverio /
The Daily Caller: Washington Post Won't Endorse 2024 Presidential Candidate

Benjamin Wittes /
@benjaminwittes@thecooltable.wtf: As a longtime member of the Washington Post editorial page staff, this genuinely shocks me. My thoughts are with my former colleagues. And I'm just going to say out loud that this would never have happened under Fred Hiatt or Meg Greenfield. Never. — https://www.npr.org/...

Dylan Byers /
@dylanbyers: Marty Baron, famed former Washington Post editor of the Democracy Dies in Darkness era, weighs in >

Jonn Elledge /
@jonnelledge: well this feels fucking stupid

Jane Mayer /
@janemayernyer: When Bezos brought in Lewis, a Murdoch guy, the handwriting was in the wall.

Jeet Heer /
@heerjeet: Billionaires know that Trump will exact revenge if they endorse Harris and he wins but that Harris will not exact revenge if she wins and they didn't endorse anyone. That's what these non-endorsements are about.

Radley Balko /
@radleybalko.bsky.social: I don't know how this ends, but it's now abundantly clear that It Could Happen Here. — I'll never get over the craven blind-eyeing and preemptive supplication from people, groups, and institutions who ought to know better. — I hope voters bail us out. But we've been tested. And too many have failed.

Tom Coates /
@tomcoates: Genuinely cannot imagine a scenario where a serious journalistic organization ought to be rising to the occasion and articulating the clarity of the choice. They're like, “Hannibal Lecter vs. Clarice Starling - reasonable people can come to different positions about who is best” @tomtomorrow.bsky.social: With all respect to many talented and thoughtful journos within the system, big media has failed spectacularly.

Dan Pfeiffer /
@danpfeiffer: The @washingtonpost endorsement moves less than zero votes in a presidential race, but announcing this with 10 days to go right after Trump's COS says he's a fascist is so dumb. Proving once again there is no one worse at PR than media companies

Anthony Zurcher /
@zurch.bsky.social: Newspaper editorials have been dying for a while. A vestigial organ from a different era, like an appendix. This year is going to speed along their demise.

Greg Greene /
@greene.haus: Exactly. More nonprofit news co-ops, please, and more policy at the federal level to nurture and subsidize them. Enough waiting for billionaires or Godot to save us; we'll have to do it ourselves. [embedded post]

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: Just... impossible timing for this announcement to be read as a statement of principal

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: new: Washington Post publisher Will Lewis explains why The Post won't be endorsing for president: [image] @jesseltaylor.bsky.social: democracy dies in darkness, but we exhibited massive moral cowardice at noon eastern when the sun was out, so

Sherrod Brown Dem /
@statindy: Insane actually. WaPo endorses all the time for Virginia/Maryland/DC elections @davekarpf.bsky.social: (3) the only POSSIBLE defense of this decision is “eh, our editorial statements don't really matter anyway.” — And y'know what? That's semi-true. The election outcome isn't going to hinge on Will Lewis possessing a spine or a conscience. — But you cannot run a newsroom if you don't think it matters.

Joe Cooper /
@swelljoe@mas.to: The billionaires who own the largest media are putting their thumbs on the scale with more enthusiasm of late. I guess there's no point in owning the media, if you can't use it to lower your taxes at the expense of literally every other human on earth. https://www.npr.org/...

@davekarpf.bsky.social:
(2) This decision is obviously some mix of “we would like access if Trump wins,” “we would like Trump not to attack our business if Trump wins, and “we would like Trump not to punish our owner's other companies if Trump wins. All of those reasons are semi-rational, but extraordinarily cowardly.

Rex Huppke /
@rexhuppke: These are not good signs. I don't think newspaper endorsements matter much anymore, honestly, but the reluctance to do them suggests timidity and a fear of retribution from Trump. That ain't the way news organizations are supposed to function.

Greg Greene /
@greene.haus: WaPo leadership then: “Democracy dies in darkness.” — now: (*hits the dimmer switch, sets mood lighting*) [embedded post]

Brianna Sacks /
@bri_sacks: We won a Pulitzer for public service for our coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection @drewsav: These newspapers are making strange decisions given that their subscriber base is overwhelmingly Democrats.

Kevin Kinkead /
@kevin_kinkead: find me one person under the age of 30 who cares about newspaper political endorsements

Noah Kulwin /
@nkulw: “We” has never meant Jeff Bezos this much

Jamelle /
@jamellebouie.net: a free press is essential to democracy but these specific institutions are not www.npr.org/2024/10/25/n...

@davekarpf.bsky.social:
This is extraordinary on three levels. (All of them bad. We're talking levels-of-hell here, obviously.) — 1. From a narrow business perspective, news orgs like WaPo benefitted in 2017-21 by branding themselves as courageous journalistic defenders of democracy. — (...) [embedded post] @blogoftheirown: It just reeks of integrity for the WaPo to wring their hands over whether to risk Bezos's wrath by endorsing Kamala....while still proudly displaying the “Democracy dies in darkness” slogan they added after the 2016 election.

Marty Swant /
@martyswant: For context, here is @oliverdarcy's report from this week: https://www.status.news/... [image]

Tommy Vietor /
@tvietor08: The WaPo endorsing Harris would move exactly zero voters her way, but still lol at this cowardly shit from the crew that brought us “democracy dies in darkness”

Daniel Feldman /
@dfeldman.bsky.social: (Keep in mind Bezos' own marriage was blown up due to retaliation during the first Trump campaign. So he has some experience with this.)

Sarah J. Jackson /
@sjjphd.bsky.social: It's almost like there's an argument to be made that billionaires shouldn't control newspapers or universities

Daniel Feldman /
@dfeldman.bsky.social: I've been speculating for a while that the media wasn't going gloves-off on Trump because they feared retaliation if he wins. I never expected them to just come out and say it though! [embedded post]

Matthew Xiao /
freebeacon.com: Washington Post Declines To Endorse a Presidential Candidate For First Time Since 1980s, Angering Editorial Staff Barrett Media: News Media Reacts to Washington Post Failing to Endorse Candidate in 2024 Presidential Election

Robert McCartney /
@mccartneywp: There are reports that The Washington Post may decline to endorse anyone for president. It would be first time that's happened since 1988. There's speculation in newsroom that owner Jeff Bezos may want to avoid risk of endangering Amazon's government contracts if Trump wins.

Oliver Darcy /
Status: A Puzzle at The Post — The Washington Post building. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

RELATED:

Washington Post:

Sources: Washington Post editorial staffers had drafted an endorsement of Harris for president, and then Jeff Bezos made the decision not to publish it— Publisher Will Lewis explained the decision as a return to the newspaper's roots. — For the first time in 36 years …

Discussion:
NPR, Salon, The Wrap, Columbia Journalism Review, Townhall, Washington Examiner, GeekWire, MeidasTouch News, @davidfolkenflik, @steinkobbe, @froomkin, @maxwelltani, @bymikedavis, @fenitn, @brianstelter, @Nonilex@masto.ai, @heidilifeldman@mastodon …, @maxwelltani, KDFX-TV, @zeblarson@hcommons.social, @c_9@mstdn.ca, Alternet.org, @robsonfletcher@mas.to, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, PinkNews, New York Post, Adweek and The Hill

Discussion:

David Folkenflik /
NPR: ‘Washington Post’ won't endorse in White House race for first time since 1980s

Charles R. Davis /
Salon: “This is cowardice”: Ex-editor blasts Washington Post after Jeff Bezos blocks Harris endorsement

Sharon Knolle /
The Wrap: Washington Post Had Kamala Harris Endorsement Ready to Go Before Jeff Bezos Nixed It

Sewell Chan /
Columbia Journalism Review: The Washington Post opinion editor approved a Harris endorsement. A week later, the paper's publisher killed it.

Rebecca Downs /
Townhall: Another Major Newspaper Won't Make an Endorsement for President

Ross O'Keefe /
Washington Examiner: Washington Post announces it won't endorse presidential candidate for first time since 1988

Kurt Schlosser /
GeekWire: Jeff Bezos blamed for spiking Washington Post's presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris

Aaron Parnas /
MeidasTouch News: Washington Post Editor At Large Resigns Over Newspaper's Non-Endorsement: Report

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: UPDATE: Robert Kagan confirms to NPR that he has resigned from WaPost editorial board after disclosure it would not make an announcement. Kagan has been a persistent conservative critic of Trump, tying him to an autocratic tradition. Uniformly outraged response from staff. @steinkobbe: That's crazy can't believe one of the good liberal billionaires would do that. The ultra rich have historically been so good at fighting fascism

Dan Froomkin /
@froomkin: To honor Kagan, read his marvelous 2023 op-ed about Trump as dictator. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Opinion staff at WaPo are furious about the paper's endorsement decision. Several are contemplating what action to take, ranging from resigning, quitting the board, or a statement. “If you don't have the balls to own a newspaper, don't,” one Post opinion employee tells me.

Mike Davis /
@bymikedavis: I don't have much of an issue with newspapers not endorsing candidates. In 2024, they aren't moving the needle one bit. But to decline to do so two weeks be for an election simply in an act of fence-sitting, so you can curry favor with whoever wins? That's cowardice.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Kudos to the @washingtonpost media reporting team today (and every day!) @Nonilex@masto.ai: And straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak: — “An #endorsement of #KamalaHarris had been drafted by The #WashingtonPost editorial page staffers but had yet to be published, acc/to 2 sources briefed on the sequence of events who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. …

Heidi Li Feldman /
@heidilifeldman@mastodon.social: Here's former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron saying what needs to be said about the Post's decision not to endorse a Presidential candidate: “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty. ... …

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Scoop: Washington Post editor at large Robert Kagan confirms to me that he resigned from the Post following today's decision not to endorse in the presidential race. KDFX-TV:

Washington Post will not endorse a candidate in 2024 presidential election, breaking decades of tradition

Zeb Larson /
@zeblarson@hcommons.social: Whatever else is true (and a lot is true), 2024 is the year where national media in the U.S. revealed how hopelessly inadequate it is, at all levels. I don't fault reporters or individual editorialists: this is an indictment of its leadership and its business structure. …

Cameron MacLeod /
@c_9@mstdn.ca: Jeff Bezos in 2013: “I understand the critical role the Post plays in Washington, D.C., and our nation and the Post's values will not change. Our duty to readers will continue to be the heart of the Post, and I am very optimistic about the future,” Bezos said in a statement. https://www.pcmag.com/... …

David Badash /
Alternet.org: ‘Cowardice’: Washington Post faces backlash after refusing to endorse in presidential race

Robson Fletcher /
@robsonfletcher@mas.to: “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty,” former Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron said. — “Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). …

Harry McCracken /
@harrymccracken@mastodon.social: Not a great sign that it's the CEO writing this note to readers. He shouldn't be involved in this decision. https://www.npr.org/...

Sophie Perry /
PinkNews: Beyoncé set to join Kamala Harris at Texas rally New York Post: WAPO staffers think owner Jeff Bezos holding up Kamala Harris endorsement | Reporter Replay

Brad Pareso /
Adweek: Two More LA Times Editorial Writers Quit Over ‘Chickens—’ Owner's Block of Harris Endorsement

Juliann Ventura /
The Hill: Harris gets Insane Clown Posse's endorsement

Semafor:

Two more members of the Los Angeles Times editorial board have resigned over the paper's decision not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election— The Scoop — Two more members of the Los Angeles Times editorial board resigned on Thursday over the paper's decision …

Discussion:
The Wrap, The Guardian, Status, Mediaite, New York Post, New York Times, @semaforben, Fox News, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, @maxwelltani@threads.net, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @margarita.bsky.social, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Townhall, The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Journalism Review, SFGATE, The Independent, Washington Times, The San Francisco Standard and Deadline, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Ross A. Lincoln /
The Wrap: Two More LA Times Editorial Writers Quit Over ‘Chickens—’ Owner's Block of Kamala Harris Endorsement | Exclusive

Oliver Darcy /
Status: Turbulence at the Times — Amid the current upheaval, the Los Angeles Times has notably refrained …

David Gilmour /
Mediaite: Three LA Times Editorial Staffers Quit In Protest After Owner Vetoed Kamala Harris Endorsement

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Two more LA Times editors quit after owner calls off Kamala Harris endorsement

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: More fallout at the LA Times, @maxwelltani scoops https://www.semafor.com/... Fox News: LA Times union begs readers not to cancel the subscriptions that pay their salaries after blasting owner

Mary Chastain /
Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Los Angeles Times Editorial Editor Resigns After Owner Didn't Allow Presidential Endorsement

Maxwell Tani /
@maxwelltani@threads.net: Karin Klein, another LA Times editorial board member, tells me she has also resigned https://www.semafor.com/...

Maxwell Tani /
@maxwelltani@threads.net: NEW: LA Times editorial board member Robert Greene tells me he has also resigned from the paper over the decision not to endorse in the 2024 presidential race, as well as the statement yesterday from owner Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Marisa Kabas /
@marisakabas.bsky.social: masterful gambit, pat. [image]

Margarita Noriega /
@margarita.bsky.social: Los Angeles expects more from the LA Times than silence. www.cjr.org/business_of_...

Jim Hᴏft /
The Gateway Pundit: LA Times Owner Exposes Editorial Board's Bias After Refusing to Draft Balanced Analysis of Trump and Kamala Harris Policies — Opts for Silence Instead of Informing Voters

Leah Barkoukis /
Townhall: Here's What the LA Times' Editorials Editor Did After Owner Decided Not to Run Presidential Endorsement

Juliann Ventura /
The Hill: L.A. Times editorial editor quits after owner blocks plans to endorse Harris

Katie Kilkenny /
The Hollywood Reporter: Los Angeles Times Editorial Page Editor Resigns Following Paper's Decision Not to Endorse Presidential Candidate

Sewell Chan /
Columbia Journalism Review: Mariel Garza, editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times, resigns after the outlet's owner blocked the editorial board's plans to endorse Harris for president

Farley Elliott /
SFGATE: LA Times editor quits after billionaire owner blocked paper's presidential endorsement

Josh Marcus /
The Independent: LA Times editorials editor quits after billionaire owner reportedly blocked paper from endorsing Harris

Victor Morton /
Washington Times: Los Angeles Times editor resigns over owner's refusal to endorse Kamala Harris The San Francisco Standard: L.A. Times opinion editor quits after billionaire owner kills endorsement

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Los Angeles Times Editorials Editor Resigns Over Owner's Decision Not To Endorse In Presidential Race

NPR:

Recent moves at the Los Angeles Times and NBC News, and the lack of a Washington Post presidential endorsement, raise concerns that owners are appeasing Trump— Recent episodes involving major U.S. news organizations have stoked fears that outlets are preemptively self-censoring coverage …

Discussion:
The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Associated Press, Forbes, ZeroHedge News, The Guardian, The Present Age, @maxwelltani, The Boston Globe, CNN, Deadline, @jbrand07, @pattmlatimes, @mattdpearce, Raw Story, Newser, @_hamilton_matt, Media Nation, @sbasspersonal, @azi, @bgrueskin, @davidfolkenflik, TVNewsCheck, The Gateway Pundit, Matt Pearce, Vanity Fair, Blaze Media, New York Post, Washington Times, Poynter, Breitbart, MediaPost, HuffPost, acecomments.mu.nu, Washington Examiner, Daily Mail, Fox News, Axios, New York Times, UPI, Semafor and Bloomberg

Discussion:
The Wrap: LA Times Owner's Daughter Nika Soon-Shiong Praises Non-Endorsement of Kamala Harris: ‘Overseeing a War on Children’

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: More Editors Exit Los Angeles Times Amid Paper's Presidential Endorsement Scandal Associated Press: Two more LA Times editorial board members resign after the paper withholds a Harris endorsement

Conor Murray /
Forbes: Ex-Editor Baron Decries ‘Disturbing Spinelessness’ Of Washington Post Not Endorsing For President

Tyler Durden /
ZeroHedge News: “Dangerous Times” - LATimes Editor Quits After Owner Strikes Down Kamala Endorsement

Lois Beckett /
The Guardian: Los Angeles Times sees resignations and loss of subscriptions after owner blocks Harris endorsement

Parker Molloy /
The Present Age: Playing It Safe Is Risking Democracy: Media's Silent Endorsement of Authoritarianism

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: NEW: LA Times editorial board member Robert Greene tells me he has also resigned from the paper over the decision not to endorse in the 2024 presidential race, as well as the statement yesterday from owner Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Jon Passantino /
CNN: Two more Los Angeles Times editorial board members resign amid turmoil over blocked Harris endorsement

Zac Ntim /
Deadline: Two More LA Times Editors Exit Over Owner's Decision Not To Endorse In Presidential Race

Jessica Brand /
@jbrand07: It is hard to describe what a loss this is. @robrtgreene was one of the most important, moral columnists in America on the critical issues of our time. @pattmlatimes: .@robrtgreene won a Pulitzer Prize for his wise, informed, invaluable writing about how government at every level works, and doesn't. This is a serious blow to the paper, a serious loss for readers, and for me, a gut-punch loss of a great colleague and friend.

Tom Boggioni /
Raw Story: ‘Anticipatory obedience’: Major media outlets accused of withholding fire on Trump

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: LAT Loses Subscribers, More Staff After Endorsement Uproar

Matt Hamilton /
@_hamilton_matt: Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Robert Greene is smart, deeply knowledgeable about L.A. County, and a decent colleague. His departure is a huge loss.

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: More fallout from the LA Times; plus, the Sun shines in Colorado, and news deserts spread

Steve Bass /
@sbasspersonal: I don't know how much endorsements matter. However, if owners are fearful about endorsements, will they stand behind critical reporting? Raises questions for sure.

Azi™ /
@azi: “One of the central media stories in the U.S. right now is the people who run big media companies making accommodations for a second Trump presidency and thinking about how to avoid antagonizing him” — @semaforben

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: This behavior by the Washpost edit page — and the editors' unwillingness to be upfront about it — is bizarre. Smacks of “anticipatory obedience” as @TimothyDSnyder would put it. Via @davidfolkenflik Link below [image]

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Did the L.A. Times and other news outlets pull punches to appease Trump? My story for NPR - (with cameos from @semaforben & @ianbassin) https://www.npr.org/...

Sara Fischer /
TVNewsCheck: Meta Strikes Multi-Year Deal With Reuters

Jim Hᴏft /
The Gateway Pundit: REPORT: Far-Left Washington Post Staffers Furious as Jeff Bezos Allegedly Blocks Kamala Endorsement, Fearing Trump's Inevitable White House Comeback Matt Pearce: That doesn't make any sense, Patrick — An embarrassing and avoidable episode for the owner of the Los Angeles Times.

Natalie Korach /
Vanity Fair: Los Angeles Times Owner's Attempt at 2024 Neutrality Backfires

Chris Enloe /
Blaze Media: LA Times owner tells the truth about Kamala Harris non-endorsement fiasco — and it exposes the rot in journalism

Ariel Zilber /
New York Post: Washington Post staffers suspect owner Jeff Bezos holding up Kamala Harris endorsement: report

Mallory Wilson /
Washington Times: L.A. Times owner says editorial board was given choice, ‘chose to remain silent’ on endorsement

Tom Jones /
Poynter: The Los Angeles Times won't endorse a candidate for president. Its owner offers a nonsensical explanation

Paul Bois /
Breitbart: Los Angeles Times Editor Resigns After Owner Blocks Kamala Harris Endorsement

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: Editorials Editor Of ‘The Los Angeles Times’ Resigns Over Blocked Endorsement

Marita Vlachou /
HuffPost: Los Angeles Times Editor Resigns After Owner Blocks Presidential Endorsement

Jenny Goldsberry /
Washington Examiner: Los Angeles Times editorials editor quits when owner won't endorse Harris

Germania Rodriguez Poleo /
Daily Mail: LA Times boss says editors were asked to come up with ‘fair’ analysis of Trump AND Kamala - but chose not to

Fox News:
LA Times editor resigns over the paper not endorsing Harris for president: ‘Not okay with us being silent’

Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: LA Times editor resigns after owner blocks Harris endorsement plans

Katie Robertson /
New York Times: L. A. Times Editorial Chief Quits After Owner Blocks Harris Endorsement

Sheri Walsh /
UPI: L.A. Times editorials editor quits over decision to withhold presidential endorsement

Christopher Palmeri /
Bloomberg: LA Times Editorial Chief Quits After Harris Endorsement Quashed

Axios:

Sources: Meta strikes a multi-year deal with Reuters to use its news content to provide real-time answers to user queries in Meta AI chatbot, a first for Meta— - Meta has backed away from news content in its platforms' main feeds amid regulatory scrutiny, but news content may prove harder …

Discussion:
Reuters, The Verge, The Wrap, Hindustan Times, The Information, @sarafischer, Engadget and Talking Biz News, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Aditya Soni /
Reuters: Meta Platforms to use Reuters news content in AI chatbot

Mia Sato /
The Verge: Meta signs its first big AI deal for news

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: Meta Strikes AI Deal With Reuters

Sylvia Varnham O'Regan /
The Information: Meta Strikes AI Deal With Reuters

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: NEW: @Meta's first news deal in the AI era... $META has struck a multi-year deal with @Reuters to use its news content for real-time answers to user queries about news in its Meta AI chatbot - Reuters is a fact checking partner but never had news tab deal https://www.axios.com/...

Sarah Fielding /
Engadget: Meta AI gains access to Reuters news content in multi-year deal

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Reuters strikes AI deal with Facebook

BBC:

Three journalists have been killed in Lebanon by an Israeli airstrike on a building known to be housing reporters, whose courtyard had cars marked “press”— Three journalists have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a building known to be housing reporters in south-eastern Lebanon, witnesses have told the BBC.

Discussion:

Josh Dickey /
The Wrap: Israeli Airstrike Kills 3 Hezbollah-Aligned Journalists as They Sleep in Lebanon Guest House Algemeiner.com: Israel and Hezbollah Trade Fire Across Lebanon Border, Blinken Calls for Urgent Resolution

Ramy Inocencio /
CBS News: Israel accused of killing journalists in Lebanon strike and children as troops storm Gaza hospital Committee to Protect Journalists: 3 killed, 3 hurt in Israeli strike on journalists' compound in Lebanon

David MacRedmond /
TheJournal.ie: Israel kills three journalists in ‘deliberately targeted’ strike in south Lebanon National Union of Journalists (NUJ): NUJ condemns killing of three Lebanese journalists by Israeli air strike

Raya Jalabi /
Financial Times: Three journalists among those killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon

The Atlantic:

A profile of Mike Solana, a Peter Thiel protégé whose Pirate Wires newsletter and podcast became popular among “anti-woke” tech figures since the “techlash”— Mike solana has opinions. Here are a few of them: Building stuff is good.

Discussion:
@jcbeam, @micsolana, @adriennelaf

Discussion:

Chris Beam /
@jcbeam: Spent some time with Mike Solana, the Peter Thiel protégé whose work provides a glimpse into how some of Silicon Valley's most powerful people think: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...

Mike Solana /
@micsolana: my house was only cramped for a little while growing up, and my parents always worked (my dad just moved from drywall to teaching). I don't hate talking “about” peter, I hate talking FOR him, because I don't want to mischaracterize his opinions. I only manned the PR inbox at FF

Mike Solana /
@micsolana: a few things in here I would have characterized differently, a few characterizations I disagree with, and a couple points missing context, but this is an essentially honest piece on my history to pirate wires, and I'm happy I participated

Adweek:

Nonprofit Notus names Brad Bosserman as CRO, who says the site will have ads and sponsors; the newsletter has a five-figure subscriber base and ~20 fellows— The nonprofit news organization will have a three-pronged approach to revenue — The nonprofit Allbritton Journalism Institute …

USA Today:

A poll of 1,000 likely US voters finds 72% had not seen Kamala Harris on a podcast and 77.5% had not seen a Trump podcast appearance— An exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll asked respondents whether they caught campaign appearances by Harris and Trump on podcasts.

Discussion:
New York Post, @brianstelter, @danielstrauss4, Inside Radio, Reuters, Poynter, The Texas Tribune and Austin American-Statesman

Discussion:

Diana Glebova /
New York Post: How Barron Trump has been influencing his dad's presidential run — and helping him reach younger voters

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: A new USA TODAY/Suffolk U poll finds that 1 in 4 American adults have heard Kamala Harris on a podcast and 1 in 5 have heard Donald Trump - impressively high totals if you ask me https://www.usatoday.com/...

Daniel Strauss /
@danielstrauss4: Watch this become the new normal for campaigning 👇

Lori Lewis /
Inside Radio: Candidates Embrace Podcasts, But Is It Working? Here's What One Survey Shows.

Reuters:

UMG releases a Spanish version of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” using Sound Labs' Mic Drop and says it shows how AI use can be respectful of artists— Universal Music Group (UMG.AS) on Friday released a Spanish version of country music star Brenda Lee's 1958 hit song …

Discussion:
Billboard, TechCrunch, Rolling Stone, Music Ally and Music Business Worldwide

Discussion:

Kristin Robinson /
Billboard: Brenda Lee's ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree' Re-Released in Spanish Using AI Technology

Brian Heater /
TechCrunch: Classic Christmas song gets authorized Spanish reworking thanks to ‘responsible’ AI

Stuart Dredge /
Music Ally: AI gives a Brenda Lee Christmas classic a Spanish makeover

TechCrunch:

In a post, Perplexity criticizes media companies that have sued over AI, saying they wish AI tools didn't exist and prefer that corporations own reported facts— Perplexity shot back at media companies skeptical of AI's benefits in a blog post Thursday responding to News Corp's lawsuit filed against the startup earlier this week.

Discussion:
SiliconANGLE, The Information, Variety, @edzitron, @laurengoode@threads.net, The Verge, @carnage4life@mas.to, Reuters and Pocket-lint, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Robert Hof /
SiliconANGLE: AI model madness vs. AI model skeptics

Kevin Mclaughlin /
The Information: Legal Threats, Google Competition Loom Over Perplexity's ‘Newbie CEO’

Todd Spangler /
Variety: AI Startup Perplexity Fires Back After News Corp's Dow Jones Sues: ‘Adversarial’ Media Companies 'Wish This Technology Didn't Exist'

Ed Zitron /
@edzitron: God damn, I hate Perplexity. There is a huge difference between “sharing a link to a story with a quote” and “wholesale ripping off multiple articles and then presenting their findings as your own in a way that deprives the publisher of any real traffic, credit or revenue” [image]

Lauren Goode /
@laurengoode@threads.net: “They prefer to live in a world where publicly reported facts are owned by corporations, and no one can do anything with those publicly reported facts without paying a toll” is one of the most asinine things I've read in a long time

Dare Obasanjo /
@carnage4life@mas.to: The big difference between the AI era and Web 2.0 is that the former are quite happy to eat their seed corn. — Why support the business models of the companies your entire product is built around when you can destroy them instead? 🤷🏾 ♂️ — https://techcrunch.com/...

Craig Donaldson /
Pocket-lint: AI search tool in legal trouble (again) since it can't stop plagiarizing

Esquire:

How the uncertainty of elections affects the US book publishing industry, as publishers try to schedule relevant nonfiction books in the fall in hopes for a hit— Every election season, American readers cling to buzzy political books. But how do publishers make plans despite an uncertain outcome …

Discussion:
@svershbow, @adriennemwest and Jane Friedman

Discussion:

Sophie Vershbow /
@svershbow: In my latest for @esquire, I explored how a presidential election year impacts the book publishing industry, from distracted media, to buzzy drop-in titles, to the Hillbilly Elegy of it all. https://www.esquire.com/...

Adrienne Westenfeld /