Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, defended the newspaper’s decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates as a way to maintain credibility and combat perceptions of bias. This decision was announced by the Post’s publisher and CEO, Will Lewis, and has led to backlash from readers, staff members, and social media influencers. The newspaper has lost over 200,000 digital subscribers since the announcement. Bezos denied claims that the decision was influenced by any political influence, stating that the move was a principled one. He acknowledged that the decision could have been handled better and that there was no intentional strategy behind the timing of the announcement. Bezos emphasized that the Post will need to adapt to remain commercially competitive and culturally relevant. The editorial board members who resigned believed it was crucial for the newspaper to endorse a candidate, particularly as they viewed Donald Trump as a threat to American democracy. The decision to not endorse a candidate comes as other news outlets, such as the Los Angeles Times, have also chosen not to back either Trump or his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the upcoming election. Bezos stressed the importance of the Post’s independence and credibility in today’s media landscape.
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Jeff Bezos stands by Washington Post’s choice to end presidential endorsements just days before election
