LA Times Newsroom Is "Pissed" At Possibility of New Editorial Board

Los Angeles Times is slated to create a new editorial board, billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong announced Sunday — a directive that has been met with hostility with current editorial staffers.

Following Soon-Shiong’s Sunday announcement, an L.A. Times insider told TheWrap Monday that “the newsroom is pissed,” as it seems likely the three remaining L.A. Times Guild members on the editorial board will soon be ousted.

The billionaire newspaper owner emphasized in his tweet over the weekend the importance of “fair and balanced” journalism in light of President-elect Donald Trump’s win over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. “When the president has won the vote of the majority of Americans, then all voices must be heard,” he wrote.

Patrick Soon-Shiong

He further indicated his newspaper will monitor coverage that appears slanted left.

The owner continued, “I will work towards making our paper and media fair and balanced so that all voices are heard and we can respectfully exchange every American’s view … from left to right to the center. Coming soon. A new Editorial Board. Trust in media is critical for a strong democracy.”

Soon-Shiong’s decision to pull the paper’s traditional presidential endorsement this year rather than back Harris already angered staffers, leading to the resignations of editorial page editor Mariel Garza, Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Greene and Karin Klein, a board member who wrote about education, environment, food and science.

Although he has donated to Democrats in the past, including $50,000 in donations to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, Soon-Shiong was quick to congratulate Trump on his first presidential win, tweeting, “Incredible honor dining w/Pres-elect @realDonaldTrump last night. He truly wants to advance #healthcare for all.”