Why newspapers should not endorse political candidates 

Let me give an analogy. Voting machines must meet two requirements. They must count the vote accurately, and people must believe they count the vote accurately. The second requirement is distinct from and just as important as the first.

Likewise with newspapers. We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we are failing on the second requirement. Most people believe the media is biased.

Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose. Reality is an undefeated champion. It would be easy to blame others for our long and continuing fall in credibility (and, therefore, decline in impact), but a victim mentality will not help.

Complaining is not a strategy. We must work harder to increase our credibility.

Endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. What endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence – Jeff Bezos

Endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters are going to say, “I’m going with Newspaper A’s endorsement.” None. What endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it’s the right one.

Eugene Meyer, publisher of The Washington Post from 1933 to 1946, thought the same, and he was right. By itself, declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it’s a meaningful step in the right direction.

Lack of credibility isn’t unique to The Post. Our brethren newspapers have the same issue. And it’s a problem not only for media but also for the nation. Many people are turning to podcasts, inaccurate social media posts, and other unverified news sources, which can quickly spread misinformation and deepen divisions.

While I do not and will not push my personal interests, I will also not allow this paper to stay on autopilot and fade into irrelevance. The stakes are too high.

Some changes will be a return to the past, and some will be new inventions. Criticism will be part and parcel of anything new, of course. This is the way of the world. None of this will be easy, but it will be worth it.

I am so grateful to be part of this endeavor.