Ken Paulson, a longtime Gannett executive, published an opinion piece Tuesday highly critical of Gannett’s directive that USA Today and its regional papers not endorse in this year’s presidential election. That’s a distinct change for the worse from the ’80s, ’90s and early years of this century, Paulson argued, when Gannett let its editors make those decisions on their own.
“You won’t see The Detroit Free Press’ take on which candidate is better for Michigan’s economy,” Paulson wrote. “Or the El Paso Times’ sense of the better candidate to address immigration. Or the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s view on who can best address environmental concerns.”
READ MORE: Gannett executive defends company’s decision to end presidential endorsements
The piece appeared on the website of The Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, where Paulson is director. Earlier in his career, he was chief of staff to legendary Gannett CEO Al Neuharth, one of the early editors of USA Today and an executive at Gannett nonprofits the Newseum and the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center.
Gannett chief communications officer, Lark-Marie Antón, characterized Paulson’s essay as “biased, incorrect and misleading.” The nonendorsement decision, she said, was made in 2023 by the editorial division’s top ranks with no interference from the rest of the corporate office.
Meanwhile, CNN did a full news story on Gannett’s reversing course at USA Today, where the national flagship broke with its tradition and endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, but has shifted back to no endorsement this year.
READ MORE: Why newspaper presidential endorsements have become an endangered species
This piece originally appeared in The Poynter Report, our daily newsletter for everyone who cares about the media. Subscribe to The Poynter Report here.
also Gannett: http://www.gannettpaperboys.com