Owner of the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, isn’t the kind of person to be gun shy when it comes to pulling the trigger on rather risky, ambitious moves. In fact, the latest move he’s made involves a total remodeling of the editorial board with the end goal in mind of making the ideology of the publication more diverse, which is why he’s decided to recruit CNN commentator Scott Jennings, a diehard conservative, who announced he accepted the offer earlier this week. What Soon-Shiong is doing takes guts, but it’s a great move that ensures his outlet’s survival as the media landscape undergoes a cosmic upheaval following President-elect Donald Trump’s huge victory in the 2024 presidential election.
“It’s true—I’ve accepted Dr. Soon-Shiong’s invitation to join the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times,” Jennings said in a post published on X. “I’ve written columns for the paper over the last few years and was honored to do so under such a storied and important masthead. I love newspapers and believe in strong journalism and strong opinion pages that represent a wide array of views.”
“I plan to represent those Americans who believe they are often ignored or even ridiculed in legacy media and applaud Dr. Soon-Shiong’s move to bring balance to the editorial board,” he said, going on to assure his followers they would still be seeing him on CNN.
It’s true – I’ve accepted @DrPatSoonShiong invitation to join the editorial board of the @latimes. I’ve written columns for the paper over the last few years and was honored to do so under such a storied and important masthead. I love newspapers and believe in strong journalism… https://t.co/GrMa44T6en
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) November 29, 2024
“Jennings, a familiar face on CNN and a respected columnist, has been a strong advocate for ensuring conservative viewpoints are given a fair hearing in media spaces often seen as liberal-leaning. His inclusion on the editorial board aligns with Soon-Shiong’s vision of creating a platform that reflects a broader spectrum of American views,” Trending Politics News reported.
Jennings’ appointment has drawn attention both for its potential to reshape the paper’s editorial direction and for the questions it raises about whether legacy media can genuinely embrace balance. Soon-Shiong highlighted the significance of the addition in a tweet: “Way to go Scott and thanks for accepting. Stay tuned we are making this happen.”
That’s why I want Scott on our new editorial board!!! Growing the board with experts who have thoughtful balanced views and new candidates are accepting the challenge to join us! Way to go Scott and thanks for accepting @latimes @ScottJenningsKY Stay tuned we are making this…
— Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong (@DrPatSoonShiong) November 26, 2024
The Los Angeles Times’ decision to bring Jennings aboard marks an effort to address long-standing critiques about bias in media. Soon-Shiong, the billionaire biotech investor, acquired the Times in June 2018. Under his ownership, the newspaper has experienced notable editorial shifts, particularly concerning political endorsements and the inclusion of diverse viewpoints.
Staying strong and resolute to transform the paper and drive a rebirth @LATimes. @Foxnews we laid out the path for the LA Times to report just the facts when we publish “news”. These facts should be labeled as “News”. It is our obligation to ensure that our readers can tell what…
— Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong (@DrPatSoonShiong) November 15, 2024
Jennings joining the LA Times comes after the publication decided not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, which made a ton of liberals big, big mad. Not long after this, Soon-Shiong announced he would be restructuring the editorial board in order to better represent the various political ideologies that exist in our nation, including conservative voices.
Will other major publications and outlets take a similar path? Probably not. And that is what will finish putting them in a proverbial six foot hole known widely as irrelevance.
"*" indicates required fields
