In a move marking a shift in the media’s approach to election coverage, Gannett’s USA TODAY Network announced it won’t endorse any presidential or national candidates for the 2024 election. USA TODAY and over 200 other Gannett-owned publications will instead focus on local issues, though editors at these local outlets can endorse state and local candidates or ballot issues.
Gannett’s approach aligns with recent decisions by other major publications that are also stepping away from direct candidate endorsements. The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times both announced they wouldn’t endorse a presidential candidate in 2024.
Historically, endorsements from influential papers like The New York Times and The Washington Post have shaped voter perceptions. However, with a growing public distrust in media impartiality, some outlets are reconsidering the impact of these endorsements.
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The Washington Post reportedly experienced a notable decline in subscribers after its decision, possibly signaling the contentious nature of endorsements.
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos released a public letter addressing the choice, stating that endorsements may create a “perception of bias” and that ending them was a “principled decision.”
Despite this shift, Gannett reassures readers that its outlets will continue to cover critical issues and offer insights at the state and local levels. The company’s focus, it asserts, remains on delivering news that empowers local communities.
Tags: 2024 Elections, Donald Trump, Election, JD Vance, Jeff Bezos, Kamala Harris, Los Angeles, The New York Times, Tim Walz, USA Today
[Jack]
IN A SURPRISING MOVE THIS ELECTION SEASON, MORE THAN 200 PUBLICATIONS UNDER THE GANNETT UMBRELLA, INCLUDING USA TODAY, ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY PRESIDENTIAL OR NATIONAL CANDIDATES. THIS DECISION ALIGNS WITH A MOVE SEEN IN OTHER MAJOR OUTLETS, SUCH AS THE WASHINGTON POST AND THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THAT ARE SHIFTING AWAY FROM DIRECT CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS.
‘USA TODAY NETWORK,’ WHICH GANNETT DESCRIBES AS THE “LARGEST LOCAL-TO-NATIONAL PUBLISHING AND DIGITAL MEDIA ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY,” WILL NOT SUPPORT ANY CANDIDATE IN THIS YEAR’S PRESIDENTIAL RACE. THE COMPANY CLARIFIED, HOWEVER, THAT EDITORS AT GANNETT’S LOCAL OUTLETS CAN CHOOSE TO ENDORSE STATE AND LOCAL CANDIDATES OR BALLOT ISSUES. ACCORDING TO USA TODAY, THE AIM IS TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON INFORMING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
HISTORICALLY, NEWSPAPERS LIKE THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE WASHINGTON POST HAVE ENDORSED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. ENDORSEMENTS FROM THESE MAJOR PUBLICATIONS HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN VIEWED AS INFLUENTIAL FOR VOTERS. HOWEVER, IN RECENT YEARS, SOME PUBLICATIONS HAVE RECONSIDERED THEIR ROLES IN POLITICAL ENDORSEMENT.
IN FACT, THE WASHINGTON POST ALSO DECLINED TO ENDORSE IN 2024, REPORTEDLY LOSING OVER 200,000 DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERS SINCE THAT DECISION, REFLECTING HOW DIVISIVE ENDORSEMENTS CAN BE IN TODAY’S MEDIA LANDSCAPE.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE, WASHINGTON POST OWNER JEFF BEZOS PENNED A NINE-PARAGRAPH NOTE TITLED ‘THE HARD TRUTH… AMERICANS DON’T TRUST THE NEWS MEDIA,’ WHERE HE STATED:
Jeff Bezos. Owner, The Washington Post
“Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election….
What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it’s the right one,”
AS GANNETT AND OTHER OUTLETS SCALE BACK ON NATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS, READERS CAN STILL EXPECT COVERAGE ON CRITICAL ISSUES AND INSIGHTS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. THE SHIFT IN MEDIA FOCUS AIMS TO PUT THE POWER OF CHOICE IN THE HANDS OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN FROM THE TOP OF THE EDITORIAL CHAIN.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M JACK AYLMER.
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