In a move that has sparked controversy, Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos has defended his newspaper’s decision to refrain from endorsing any presidential candidate in the upcoming US election. Bezos, the second-richest man in the world, described the move as a ‘principled decision’ and the ‘right one’ for the Washington Post, emphasizing that it was not influenced by any ‘business’ pressure from him.
In a public statement, Bezos addressed the growing concerns around media bias and public trust in the media. He acknowledged that editorial endorsements can create a ‘perception of bias,’ which is particularly important ‘at a time many Americans don’t believe the media.’ Bezos stated that ending endorsements is a ‘principled decision, and the right one,’ adding that he wished it had been done earlier, further from the election’s emotional intensity. He attributed the timing to ‘inadequate planning,’ dismissing any intentional strategic maneuver.
Acknowledging his vast wealth, Bezos described it as a ‘bulwark’ against intimidation of the newspaper but also admitted that it could be perceived as a ‘web of conflicting interests.’ He strongly asserted that he has never interfered in the Post’s editorial choices, challenging anyone to find a single instance in the past 11 years where his interests swayed the publication’s decisions. Bezos also declared that while he doesn’t and won’t push personal interests on the paper, he wouldn’t allow it to ‘stay on autopilot and fade into irrelevance.’
However, the move has met with significant backlash. The Washington Post’s publisher, Will Lewis, announced on October 25 that the paper would not endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, despite staff leaning towards the latter. This decision followed the Los Angeles Times’ similar stance, making them the second prominent newspaper to abstain from endorsing a presidential candidate this election cycle.
The decision sparked outrage among readers and staff. Over 200,000 subscribers cancelled their subscriptions, and several long-time editorial board members resigned, including three out of nine board members and two columnists. The Washington Post, with a subscriber base of 2.5 million, ranks third in circulation behind the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, making the subscription cancellations a significant financial blow.
On social media, former Washington Post editor Martin Baron criticized the decision as ‘cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.’ The Washington Post’s decision to remain neutral in the upcoming US election has ignited a debate about media responsibility, transparency, and the delicate balance between editorial independence and financial considerations.
