‘I’m Extremely Proud’
Patrick Soon-Shiong had become accustomed to making the news. He was the doctor and medical technology innovator who built a fortune, the striving South African immigrant who bought a piece of the Lakers and the L.A. billionaire who brought the Los Angeles Times back under local control when he purchased it in 2018.
But none of that created the public tempest like the one that has surrounded Soon-Shiong’s recent actions: First when he blocked the Times editorial board, which he oversees, from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Then he suggested the newspaper had become an “echo chamber” for the political left. And, this month, he announced The Times would create a digital “bias meter” to alert readers about the ideological tilt of the paper’s content.
Big Investment, Big Losses
Many civic leaders and everyday readers hailed Soon-Shiong when he bought the newspaper in 2018, rescuing it from a cost-cutting owner and a possible sale to chains known for operating bare-bones news operations. Since that initial $500-million investment to buy The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune, Soon-Shiong said he has set aside $250 million to renovate the El Segundo headquarters and to build a museum and auditorium, which are under construction.
Non-Endorsement Roiled Newspaper
The furor over the newspaper’s non-endorsement was dying down this month when Soon-Shiong again became a trending topic on social media. This time, it was after the Times owner told Jennings during a podcast interview that he planned to unveil a “bias meter” to let readers know the ideological bent of his newspaper’s content.
Explaining the ‘Bias Meter’
The feature also will allow readers to click on a button to obtain an AI-compiled story or stories, offering alternative viewpoints, Soon-Shiong said. A variety of experts from mainstream journalism questioned the value and reliability of a machine-driven analysis. One Times reader captured some of the concern when he said via email: “I find it kind of insulting to the reader. I think I and most readers can judge the varying perspectives of the people who are writing opinion pieces.”
Inside the Newsroom
As the public battle over Times content has raged, the owner and his newsroom employees have been locked in a prolonged contract dispute. Negotiations between management and the union representing most Times journalists have limped along for nearly three years, with the sides far apart on pay and other issues.
Conclusion
Soon-Shiong believes that presenting a greater diversity of views will be a key to success. He intends on introducing more moderate and conservative commentators on the newspaper’s opinion pages, where liberal writers have been dominant for years. He also wants editors and reporters who produce news stories to be alert for ideological imbalance and fairness, though he said he has no intention of meddling in decisions made by The Times’ newsroom leaders about how to cover the news.
FAQs
Q: What is the "bias meter"?
A: The "bias meter" is a digital feature that will be introduced by The Times to alert readers about the ideological tilt of the paper’s content.
Q: Why is Patrick Soon-Shiong introducing the "bias meter"?
A: Soon-Shiong believes that presenting a greater diversity of views will be a key to success and wants to show readers that The Times is offering a variety of opinions.
Q: What is the goal of the "bias meter"?
A: The goal of the "bias meter" is to provide readers with a better understanding of the ideological bent of the newspaper’s content and to offer alternative viewpoints.
Q: Will the "bias meter" be used on news stories as well as opinion columns?
A: No, the "bias meter" will only be used on editorials and opinion columns, not news stories.
Q: How will the "bias meter" be calculated?
A: The "bias meter" will be calculated using an "augmented intelligence" patent (dubbed the "Reasoning Engine") that Soon-Shiong created in his biomedical endeavors.
