Around New England

Providence Journal Ends Editorials

May 11, 2020

Rhode Island’s biggest newspaper has decided to end editorials.

Instead, writes Alan Rosenberg, executive editor of The Providence Journal, the newspaper plans to solicit a range of views for commentary.

The newspaper also will no longer endorse political candidates.

Why the switch?

Readers often confuse a newspaper’s editorial position with the work a newspaper’s reporters do.

“Our goal in news stories is always to learn, and reflect, the facts of a situation, then report them without bias. Reporters’ opinions, if they have them, have no place in our stories,” Rosenberg writes.

Even when a newspaper takes a stance, reporters can still research and write news stories without feeling they have to reflect the newspaper’s editorial position, Rosenberg writes — “but my email since I became executive editor shows that many just don’t buy it.”

The Providence Journal, which started publishing in 1829, is currently owned by Gannett, which also publishes USA Today.


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