Crain’s Chicago ends political endorsements

Jim Kirk, the publisher and executive editor of Crain’s Chicago Business, writes about why the publication is ending political endorsements.

Kirk writes, “We no longer see value, however, in drawing a conclusion on behalf of our readers about who best should lead the city and the state from City Hall, from the Governor’s Mansion or from the halls of the U.S. Senate.

“Another factor in our thinking is the hyper-partisan era in which we now do our work. At this point in, say, the governor’s race, we are fairly confident most of our readers have already made up their minds. In fact, early voting has already begun. An endorsement, in that context, can do one of two things: either affirm for readers that their previously formed preference is correct, or give those who disagree a reason to think our coverage of the campaign and, unfortunately, everything else, is biased in favor of the endorsed candidate.

“Crain’s reporting is and always will be independent and rigorous. But at a time when trust in the media generally is at a low point, we’re cognizant that anything we do that erodes that trust further is a mistake. And given the plethora of political information that’s readily available now, continuing an endorsement tradition rooted in the days when such information was scarce is unnecessary.”

Read more here.