Los Angeles Times Owner Says 'Bias Meter' Will be Attached to Articles in 2025

Los Angeles Times (Lean Left bias) owner Patrick Soon-Shiong announced he has been working on an AI-powered bias meter that will appear on all Los Angeles Times news and opinion articles beginning in January. 

For Context: Soon-Shiong faced criticism for blocking the paper's endorsement of Kamala Harris earlier this year, and several members of the editorial staff resigned. He has vowed to bring more conservative voices into the newsroom and added Trump supporter Scott Jennings to their editorial board. Soon-Shiong bought the Times in 2018. 

Key Quotes: Soon-Shiong criticized the mainstream media for its lack of separation between news and opinion content. “Somebody could understand as they read it that the source of the article has some level of bias,” he said. “The reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story based on that story and then give comments.” The Los Angeles Times Guild union responded to the comments, saying Soon-Shiong had “publicly suggested his staff harbors bias, without offering evidence or examples.”

How the Media Covered It: CNN Business (Lean Left) gave equal space to Soon-Shiong and his detractors. The New York Post (Lean Right) focused primarily on Soon-Shiong's perspective. It mentioned a contentious interview with reporter Oliver Darcy, but did not highlight criticism from current or former Los Angeles Times staff.