Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, announced on Monday that he plans to release the newspaper next year, describing this move as democratizing for the publication.
“It’s crucial that all voices are represented in the paper. That was my intention,” he mentioned during an appearance on the “Daily Show.” “Whether you lean right or left, are a Democrat or Republican, or from anywhere else, the goal is to give everyone a chance to have their voice heard through this paper. We truly want to make the LA Times a platform for the people.”
He purchased the newspaper in 2018 for $500 million.
According to Soon-Shiong, this recruitment initiative will empower the public in terms of ownership and representation on the board.
However, he did not provide specific details about what this would look like in practice.
“I’m collaborating with the organization that’s helping to set this up right now,” Soon-Shiong remarked to host Jon Stewart regarding the publishing process.
“Truth is essential for trust; without it, ethics become murky,” Soon-Shiong pointed out. “Currently, there’s a lot of distrust in our society. We can’t heal as a nation without truth and trust… I embody the American dream as an immigrant.”
An interview with Stewart also touched upon Soon-Shiong’s ongoing efforts to find a cure for cancer.
Besides managing The Times, he is also a surgeon, medical researcher, and entrepreneur focused on developing cancer vaccines.
This decision to release the newspaper comes during a challenging financial period for the Los Angeles Times. Reports from April indicated that the paper experienced a loss of $50 million in 2024.
Soon-Shiong’s leadership has faced criticism from staff, particularly regarding recent attempts to adjust the content.
Earlier this year, he defended changes to the paper’s left-leaning opinion section in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“We aim to be a trustworthy source of information for all Americans,” Soon-Shiong stated in January. “Given that California is predominantly blue, I wanted to ensure our opinion pages reflect diverse viewpoints and not just one-sided opinions.”
He also angered some liberal media figures when he withdrew support for Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign, mirroring actions taken by Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.
Soon-Shiong has previously expressed a willingness to collaborate with the Trump administration on his cancer project, but he has shown disappointment with the Biden administration’s lack of cooperation.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the LA Times for further comments.
