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The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs, and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians.

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Media consolidation and candidate endorsements by newspapers

  • 1.  Media consolidation and candidate endorsements by newspapers

    Posted 6 days ago

    When news that the LA Times' owner had barred the editorial board from making a political endorsement was followed by similar news about the Washington Post, it occurred to me that this might be a trend.  Some quick searching turned up a Poynter opinion piece, Why newspaper presidential endorsements have become an endangered species. The Washington Post. Los Angeles Times. The Minnesota Star Tribune. Tampa Bay Times. Gannett. McClatchy. Alden. The list grows by the day.  Also, I found some numbers from Fox, "In 2016, more than 240 newspapers endorsed Hillary Clinton, while only 20 endorsed Trump. In 2020, 14 newspapers endorsed Trump, and 120 endorsed Biden. This year, nearly 80 newspapers endorsed Harris, and fewer than 10 endorsed Trump."  Far fewer newspapers are endorsing Harris than backed Clinton or Biden 

    f newspapers are afraid to offend with endorsements, how long before they become afraid to offend with news articles?  Libraries cannot make information available if it's not being published.

    About 20 years ago, ALA's IFC studied the potential danger of media consolidation.  Here's a page of resources.  https://www.ala.org/aboutala/affiliates/chapters/mediaconcentration and a report https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/aboutala/content/affiliates/chapters/chapterissues/Fostering-Media-Diversity-Final-06-23-07.pdf

    I think it is time to take up this issue again.



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    Carolyn Caywood
    Librarian
    retired
    She/Her/Hers
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