Amazon founder and owner of The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, defended the newspaper’s decision not to endorse any presidential candidate in a column published on Monday evening. Bezos stated that this decision was made to restore the American public’s trust in the media.
In his column, Bezos emphasized that the decision was not driven by commercial interests but rather to uphold The Washington Post’s reputation amidst a decline in media trust. He pointed out that in annual public surveys on trust and reputation, journalists and media outlets often rank near the bottom, sometimes even lower than Congress. According to a recent Gallup poll, the media’s trustworthiness is even lower than that of Congress, hitting rock bottom.
“We are clearly not getting it right,” Bezos wrote. “We must report accurately and make people believe that our reporting is accurate. This is a bitter pill to swallow, but we have not met the second requirement. Most people believe the media is biased.”
Bezos stressed that the lack of credibility is not unique to The Washington Post alone. He mentioned that other newspapers face similar issues, and it is not just a problem for the media but a national issue. Many people are turning to impromptu commentary podcasts, inaccurate social media posts, and other unverified news sources which spread misinformation rapidly and deepen divisions.
“The endorsement by a president actually creates a bias. An impression of lack of independence. Ending endorsements is a principled decision and the right decision,” Bezos wrote. “Refusing to endorse a presidential candidate alone is not enough to significantly boost our credibility, but it is a meaningful step in the right direction.”
He also stated that The Washington Post should have made this decision earlier to avoid the fervor surrounding the elections. Bezos remarked, “It was an insufficient plan, not a deliberate strategy.”
Bezos claimed that this decision was made “without any form of quid pro quo” and was a purely internal decision.
However, the billionaire who acquired The Washington Post in 2013 admitted that on the same day the newspaper announced its decision not to endorse candidates, his aerospace company Blue Origin’s CEO Dave Limp met with former President Trump.
Bezos asserted that he was not aware of this meeting beforehand, and it was arranged last minute in the morning, with no connection to their decision regarding presidential endorsements.
According to The Washington Post, after the editorial board drafted and prepared to publish an editorial supporting a candidate, Bezos personally gave the order not to endorse any presidential candidate.
This decision sparked protests within The Washington Post’s editorial office and from some readers, leading several editorial board members to resign. Sources claimed that the newspaper lost over 200,000 online subscribers within four days.
However, Bezos stated that he does not regret breaking the newspaper’s 36-year tradition.
He wrote, “Of course, criticism will be a part of any new thing. That’s how the world works. None of this is easy, but it’s worth it.”