A time honored tradition of newspapers endorsing a candidate in the presidential race has been abandoned at the eleventh hour by a couple of major papers.
But while this hurts subscriptions in what's left of the print media -- does it matter to voters?
Should major newspapers continue the tradition of endorsing a presidential candidate n the battle between Trump and Harris?
Owners of the Washington Post and LA Times refused to do so. Something Guardian political columnist Margaret Sullivan called "an appalling display of cowardice and a dereliction of their public duty." Mercyhurst University Political Science Professor Joe Morris thinks it makes no difference to voters.
"I think they pay a lot less attention to newspaper endorsement than they used to because we're in a time when every news organization is seen as partisan or at least ideologically biased," said Dr. Joe Morris.
Morris said the Washington Post is seen as profoundly liberal -- so an endorsement of Kamala Harris was anticipated, already written and leaked.
"So the fact that it's been already leaked that they are leaning the way we all expect them to lean -- what does this tell us, there's nothing I think that we learn from this at all," said Dr. Morris.
Editors and editorial boards didn't like the decision of their owners, some are even resigning or moving to other roles. In a Washington Post essay, owner Jeff Bezos called the decision principled, saying endorsements create a perception of bias. Critics think he's hedging his bets if Trump wins.
"The last thing you want to do if you are someone who owns a national or international business is be on the wrong side of a newly elected president its not a good position to be in," said Dr. Morris.
If voters are undecided Dr. Morris doesn't think endorsements will sway them...but says they should look to the wealth of good print and broadcast resources that focus on facts.
"Believe it or not there are some fair and ethical journalists out there that do their best to report the facts," said Dr. Morris.
The decision to not endorse has brought a big drop in subscriptions, something that hurts print news organizations, and their bottom line.