Newspapers should not endorse candidates

I write today to express my thoughts on why a newspaper should refrain from endorsing political candidates, a stance I believe can preserve the core mission of the press.

Endorsements by newspapers are an old tradition, but they’re based on a different era—a time when readers relied heavily on just one or two sources of information. Times have changed, and we’re in an age where information is freely available from various perspectives.

When a newspaper endorses a candidate, it risks alienating part of its readership and compromising readers' trust in the publication. If readers believe that reporting is skewed by an editorial stance, even if only on the opinion pages, it casts doubt on the objectivity of the newspaper as a whole.

The endorsement tradition can also make a newspaper vulnerable to accusations of bias, undermining its credibility in a world where public trust in media is already strained. The news should be a place where all readers can feel their perspectives are respected, regardless of political leanings.

Rather than endorsing candidates, why not use that editorial space to instead address the issues at stake, dissect policies, and provide unbiased background that helps readers make their own choices?

Newspapers serve the public interest by presenting balanced coverage and giving voice to a diverse array of viewpoints. To endorse a candidate is to potentially limit that role. Instead, let us return to the highest mission of the press: informing the public so they can make up their own minds.

Tom Tjelmeland

Cedar Rapids