Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

Unfortunately, COVID happened and I had to take my eye off the paper to focus on what I was doing on cancer and COVID. I hired a new editor as Norm retired, and the new editor, unfortunately, I think, pushed the paper into something I didn't believe was the right direction. So once I had time, which I did last year and beginning of this year, I began to realize we really need change.

Yeah, and I think, look, I recognize there'd be risks, right? And as I said in my tweets, if you have to lead, you have to lead. Leaders have to lead. And my concern was, were we... writing opinions based on only one-sided view and recognizing that California is a very blue state. But as you begin to see, I didn't want to be just the voice of California. I wanted to be the voice of the nation.

Yeah, and I think, look, I recognize there'd be risks, right? And as I said in my tweets, if you have to lead, you have to lead. Leaders have to lead. And my concern was, were we... writing opinions based on only one-sided view and recognizing that California is a very blue state. But as you begin to see, I didn't want to be just the voice of California. I wanted to be the voice of the nation.

More importantly, I wanted to be the voice of truth. So taking that position that we could be the voice of truth, that we need to make that happen. I would like to refer you to the mission statement, which I'm going to read to you now. The editorial board actually has not even followed.

More importantly, I wanted to be the voice of truth. So taking that position that we could be the voice of truth, that we need to make that happen. I would like to refer you to the mission statement, which I'm going to read to you now. The editorial board actually has not even followed.

It says here, oh, editorials are written by a group of writers who meet three times a week to discuss and debate issues. I think that's okay, but maybe they're not really okay, because if the group of writers, and again, I'm getting into trouble for this, but so be it, are an echo chamber of themselves, we just get a one-sided view.

It says here, oh, editorials are written by a group of writers who meet three times a week to discuss and debate issues. I think that's okay, but maybe they're not really okay, because if the group of writers, and again, I'm getting into trouble for this, but so be it, are an echo chamber of themselves, we just get a one-sided view.

But what is most important in the mission statement, it goes on to say, and I'm quoting

But what is most important in the mission statement, it goes on to say, and I'm quoting

we strive to take into account different perspectives particularly if they don't align with our own to inform our views our hope is to lay out arguments and analyses that can help our readers navigate complex questions or at the very least give them a well-considered way to think about the issues of the day that is an amazing laudable mission statement meaning

we strive to take into account different perspectives particularly if they don't align with our own to inform our views our hope is to lay out arguments and analyses that can help our readers navigate complex questions or at the very least give them a well-considered way to think about the issues of the day that is an amazing laudable mission statement meaning

that we allow our readers to take into account different perspectives. And I didn't believe we were living up to our mission statement. So I needed to take a position that the former executive editor, who I terminated, and who's gone out to say that he resigned under protest, which is, again, a level of misinformation. We needed to make that change. And change is difficult. Get that.

that we allow our readers to take into account different perspectives. And I didn't believe we were living up to our mission statement. So I needed to take a position that the former executive editor, who I terminated, and who's gone out to say that he resigned under protest, which is, again, a level of misinformation. We needed to make that change. And change is difficult. Get that.

Change is risky. Get that. Change is necessary in order to heal the nation. And LA Times has, I believe, a moral obligation to be the voice of all people.

Change is risky. Get that. Change is necessary in order to heal the nation. And LA Times has, I believe, a moral obligation to be the voice of all people.

The answer is yes and no, right? I mean, obviously, I've gotten a huge amount of negative feedback on X, but also positive feedback on X. And as you could see, I approached Scott Jennings the first because I watched him when he was a contributor to LA Times. But his voice was quasi-drowned, just like his voice on CNN was drowned, right? If you watch on CNN, he's one out of five.

The answer is yes and no, right? I mean, obviously, I've gotten a huge amount of negative feedback on X, but also positive feedback on X. And as you could see, I approached Scott Jennings the first because I watched him when he was a contributor to LA Times. But his voice was quasi-drowned, just like his voice on CNN was drowned, right? If you watch on CNN, he's one out of five.

And even the moderator would sort of throw a bone to Scott Jennings prior to the election. And it's amazing how it changed after the election. And I watched his courage. I watched his demeanor. I watched his respectfulness. And I watched his opinion based on what I listened to as mainly facts rather than speculation.

And even the moderator would sort of throw a bone to Scott Jennings prior to the election. And it's amazing how it changed after the election. And I watched his courage. I watched his demeanor. I watched his respectfulness. And I watched his opinion based on what I listened to as mainly facts rather than speculation.

So I reached out to him and asked him would he join this new campaign of mine to change the editorial board and he accepted. I just tweeted it again. He was nominated like one of the rising stars in media. So obviously we made the right call.