New York — The Los Angeles Times is facing a crisis of trust and direction as its owner, biotech magnate Patrick Soon-Shiong, pursues a series of controversial initiatives, including the introduction of an artificial intelligence-powered “bias meter” and sweeping changes to the newspaper’s editorial board. These efforts, which Soon-Shiong argues are necessary to ensure journalistic balance and combat misinformation, have drawn sharp criticism from staff, unions, and former columnists who accuse him of compromising the paper’s independence and credibility.
Soon-Shiong, who acquired the Los Angeles Times in 2018 with promises of reinvigoration, revealed his plans for the bias meter during a conversation on Scott Jennings’ Flyover Country podcast. The AI-powered tool, slated for release in January, is designed to analyze news articles and highlight potential biases in their sources. More importantly, it would allow readers to access alternative perspectives on the same story, ostensibly offering a more balanced view. Soon-Shiong emphasized that the tool builds on technology he has been refining since 2010 for applications in healthcare.
Explaining his rationale, Soon-Shiong lamented what he sees as the media’s failure to adequately separate news from opinion, a shortcoming he believes contributes to the erosion of public trust. “Major publishers are losing credibility because they haven’t addressed the issue of bias effectively,” he said. “This meter will let readers make their own judgments and understand the full spectrum of perspectives.”
The introduction of the bias meter, however, has been met with significant backlash from the newsroom. The Los Angeles Times Guild, representing the majority of the paper’s journalists, issued a scathing response, accusing Soon-Shiong of undermining the integrity of its reporting. The union reaffirmed the newsroom’s commitment to ethical principles, including fairness, precision, and impartiality, and rejected the notion that bias is pervasive in its work.
“This newsroom operates under rigorous standards designed to deliver fair and transparent journalism,” the Guild’s statement read. “Dr. Soon-Shiong’s assertions are unfounded and deeply disrespectful to the professionals who have upheld the Times’ reputation.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Soon-Shiong’s broader restructuring efforts have sparked internal upheaval. In recent weeks, several high-profile figures have resigned in protest, including senior legal columnist Harry Litman and assistant editorial page editor Kerry Cavanaugh. Litman, in his resignation letter, accused Soon-Shiong of tilting the paper’s editorial stance toward Donald Trump, a move he described as a betrayal of democratic values and the public trust.
Litman’s resignation follows Soon-Shiong’s controversial decision to block the Times from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. The decision, made just weeks before Election Day, triggered outrage within the newsroom and led to a wave of subscription cancellations. Soon-Shiong defended his actions, describing the endorsement process as rushed and lacking in due diligence. “When I learned the board had pre-packaged an endorsement without consulting the candidates, I was outraged,” he said. “This isn’t the kind of journalism I want the Times to represent.”
These developments have compounded concerns over Soon-Shiong’s increasing involvement in the paper’s editorial operations. In addition to reviewing opinion piece headlines before publication, he has expressed a desire to diversify the editorial board by including more centrist and conservative voices. Critics argue that these moves, framed as efforts to promote balance, undermine the paper’s editorial independence and alienate its readership.
As the January launch of the bias meter approaches, the Los Angeles Times finds itself at a crossroads. The tension between its owner’s vision and the newsroom’s commitment to traditional journalistic values raises profound questions about the future of one of America’s most iconic newspapers.
