LA Times Owner Plans to Launch Tech-Driven ‘Bias Meter’ to Show Readers ‘Both Sides’

Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of Los Angeles Times, says his team is working on a tech-driven “bias meter” for articles so that readers “can press a button and get both sides” of the story.

The announcement comes after Soon-Shiong did not allow the Times to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

“There has to be some level of trusted source,” Soon-Shiong continued. “Look, I’m a physician. When I see a patient, what I tell the patient should be based on some trusted information — we should have that in the newspaper when you’re talking about news.”

“Everybody has a right to an opinion. That’s fair. But it really shouldn’t be an echo chamber of an opinion,” the Los Angeles Times owner added. “We need to actually create some level of balance when it comes to opinion with columnists, and then we need to actually let the reader know this is opinion.”

“So, don’t get mad if it’s too left, and don’t get mad if it’s too right, just consider what are the facts underlying this opinion,” Soon-Shiong said, adding, “Nobody’s really done that, and I think this could be the downfall of what now people call the mainstream media.”

The Los Angeles Times owner went on to say that as soon as January, he plans to implement a “bias meter” that allows readers to see what side of the story they are looking at.

What we need to do is not have what we call ‘confirmation bias’ and then that story, automatically, the reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story based on that story,” Soon-Shiong explained.

“Now, I’m giving you some little breaking news here, but this is what we’re currently building behind the scenes. And I’m hoping that by January we launch this,” he added.

Jennings chimed in, saying, “So we’re talking about a fusion of content created by journalists, and technology that you’re developing that will give the readers a more well-rounded or complete view of any given story at any given time?”

“Correct,” Soon-Shiong replied, adding, “You look at X now, and I think what X has — these comment buttons, and the comments are as important as sometimes the story, because you get a feel of what people are thinking and, as you said, you can have a conversation, a discourse, a respectful disagreement.”

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Comments (4)

  • Avatar

    Tom

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    There is only truth on one side and lies on all the other sides.

    Reply

  • Avatar

    Sunface Jack

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    If there was ever a more scaly bloke It would be Patrick Soon-Shiong. His connections include Squirrel Ramaphosa, squirrels B-I- L Patrice Motsepe, never mind the BMGF.
    IMO Take what he says with a pinch of salt

    Reply

  • Avatar

    Howdy

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    Both sides of a story? I think the man hasn’t a clue about the diverse range of opinions people can have, as well as the perception of whether the story is actually true or not, and can affect the outcome. Or perhaps he has…

    Nice try, but just more BS.

    Reply

  • Avatar

    Jerry Krause

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    Hi PSI Readers,

    The article’s author concluded “you can have a conversation, a discourse, a respectful disagreement.” But we need to remember “both ideas” don’t need to be CORRECT or that neither is. correct. R. C.Sutcliffe, a member of allied miteorologal team which successfully predicted the Normandy Invasion, wrote in his book WEATHER & CLIMATE: Clouds which do not give rain, which never even threaten to give rain but which dissolve a into vapor before the precipitation stage is ever reached, have a profound effect on our climate (pp 33) I find that AI, nor modern climatologists, seem to have never read this 1966 book and you a
    reader can find this book and read more what a ‘real meteorologist’ has written about. this controversial topic, as I did.

    Have a good day

    Reply

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