Workers at the Los Angeles Times are raising concerns after its billionaire owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, reportedly directed the editorial board to scale back coverage of former President Donald Trump. According to a report by the New York Post, the physician-turned-entrepreneur, who purchased the paper in 2018, has become increasingly involved in editorial decisions, sparking accusations of interference.
Media reporter Oliver Darcy highlighted the issue in his Status newsletter, writing that Soon-Shiong’s influence has been more extensive than previously believed. The South Africa-born billionaire has allegedly taken measures to limit Trump-related commentary at the paper.
One example cited by the New York Times involves Soon-Shiong blocking an editorial criticizing Trump’s potential use of recess appointments to bypass Senate confirmation for cabinet nominees. The unpublished piece, titled “Donald Trump’s cabinet choices are not normal. The Senate’s confirmation process should be,” reportedly urged adherence to traditional confirmation processes.
However, sources claim this incident is part of a broader pattern of intervention. A memo signed by several members of the opinion section accused Soon-Shiong of implementing a policy requiring editorials critical of Trump to be accompanied by opposing viewpoints. This directive, they claim, has led to delays or cancellations of multiple editorials. The memo described the policy as one-sided, applying only to Trump-related topics and not to other political figures or issues.
Terry Tang, the executive editor of the LA Times, received the memo, which also criticized Soon-Shiong’s demand to review all editorials and their authors before publication. Staff members have expressed concerns that such oversight undermines their ability to work without fear of retaliation.
“Editorial positions and content have been censored before publication, with arguments, headlines, and topics constrained in ways that did not exist previously,” the memo stated.
An LA Times spokesperson acknowledged the letter, saying, “Our management team is currently reviewing the concerns expressed.”
Soon-Shiong’s involvement extends beyond editorial policies. Earlier this month, he announced plans to develop a “bias meter” to evaluate articles published by the LA Times. This tool, according to him, aims to address perceived bias and foster balance in reporting.
The announcement coincided with Soon-Shiong’s decision to hire conservative commentator Scott Jennings for the newspaper’s editorial board. He justified the move as part of a broader effort to diversify political perspectives.
“If we were honest with ourselves, our current board of opinion writers veered very left, which is fine,” Soon-Shiong said in November. “But I think in order to have balance, you also need somebody who trends right and, more importantly, someone who trends in the middle.”
This shift has not been universally welcomed. Longtime legal columnist Harry Litman resigned in protest, accusing Soon-Shiong of “currying favor” with Trump in what he called “a shameful capitulation.”
Soon-Shiong’s approach has sparked broader concerns about editorial independence at the LA Times. Staff members worry that his policies jeopardize the paper’s ability to critically cover significant political figures.
For now, the situation remains under review, and the newspaper’s management team is reportedly weighing the concerns raised by its editorial staff. Whether these measures will lead to lasting changes in the LA Times’ approach to political coverage remains to be seen