Weeks after withdrawing a presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris that had been prepared by his editorial board, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, announced that his product team is developing a new tech-driven “bias meter” to add to articles on the paper’s website by next year.
The bias meter, according to Soon-Shiong, will present multiple viewpoints on a particular news item and allow for some version of comments to be integrated. The idea is to provide readers with a clearer understanding of the bias involved in the article and allow them to engage with others in a respectful and thoughtful manner.
The move is seen as the latest signal from Soon-Shiong that he plans to reshape the Times as the second Trump administration gears up. The paper’s editorial guild has expressed concerns over the proposal, stating that it could be seen as implying that the paper’s staff harbors bias.
Soon-Shiong’s comments about the bias meter come as the paper is reeling from the aftermath of the withdrawn endorsement, with some members of the editorial board resigning over the decision. The paper’s owner has also stated that he is looking to staff the paper with people like Scott Jennings, a conservative pundit, who was recently brought on as a member of the editorial board.
The proposal for a bias meter has been around for some time, with other organizations, such as NewsGuard, already offering similar features. The idea is to provide readers with a clearer understanding of the sources of information they are consuming and to promote more nuanced and respectful discussions.
