Opinion: Fewer anti-Trump pieces, more balanced reporting: What conservative readers want from the L.A. Times’ new leaders

The vast majority of the letters to the editor we receive on Donald Trump take a position opposing the president. This was the case during his candidacy for president, and it has been so since his inauguration.

But the masthead changes at the Los Angeles Times this week — in which the paper’s top editors were replaced and a new publisher was brought in — unleashed a steady flow of criticism by readers upset over the paper’s coverage of the president. Several letter writers expressed hope that The Times would continue to be what they consider an excellent newspaper under its new bosses, but many other readers said the paper needs to make changes.

Their advice to The Times’ new leadership: Reassess and change your journalism as it relates to Trump and Republicans, or risk losing more readers. Here are some of their letters.

Bill White of Arleta believes the paper has strayed off track:

Under the last regime, The Times morphed into an ultra-liberal propaganda machine with a maniacal obsession with resisting the Trump presidency and a similar obsession with promoting and even glorifying illegal immigration.

Please consider that some of us would like to read a newspaper that presents both sides of a story and respects the idea of fair and unbiased reporting. I have great expectations that the new editorial team will reinvigorate and restore professional journalistic standards.

Rancho Mirage resident Mike Underwood wants The Times’ new leadership to set the paper apart:

Please stop your slanted reporting. Please go after both sides of the political spectrum with equanimity and balance.

If you do so, you will separate The Times from the pack of media organizations that have lost their way with little regard for conservative thinking or values.

You now have a chance to again be true leaders in that most important and sacred task of fair, balanced and informative journalism. I wish the new leadership team the very best.

Indio resident Carl R. Rosenfeld says more balanced reporting would serve The Times and its readers:

The problem with declining readership is not readers switching to online sources for news; nor is it the revolving-door ownership of the paper. It is the one-sided reporting readers such as myself feel is greatly inferior to a more balanced presentation of the news.

As it stands, what we typically get from The Times is a completely one-sided liberal viewpoint. Try a more even-handed approach.

If you take this advice, you will be rewarded, as will all readers who want a better Los Angeles Times.

San Marcos resident Chet Chebegia is one of several readers who encouraged The Times to stay the course:

I certainly hope the recent changes that were made at The Times weren’t because of any political stuff, because we already have too much of that in our world right now

The Times has always offered good, honest reporting to its readers. Keep up the good work.

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