Star Tribune will not endorse candidates this year

The Star Tribune will not endorse candidates or causes in the 2024 elections, the newspaper announced Thursday.

The big picture: Editors and executives at a growing list of major newspapers now see endorsements as more likely to anger subscribers and undermine trust in the media than to move votes.

• The New York Times , Chicago Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, and more than 200 other publications have also ended or limited election endorsements.

What they're saying: "The political environment can be polarizing," opinion editor Phil Morris told Axios in an email, "so it felt like the right time to try something that goes beyond a binary recommendation."

• In a story announcing the "experiment," Morris said opinion writers will still interview candidates and offer analysis, but will focus "on the issues, rather than telling people how they should vote."

Plus: The paper will no longer publish a daily unsigned editorial.

• "We'll use the collective voice of the Editorial Board in the moments when it's most needed," Morris wrote.

What we're watching: With the paper expanding its Greater Minnesota presence , Morris told Axios that the "new approach" will allow opinion writers to cover statewide issues.

Reality check: In an age when opinions and voter guides are everywhere, it's not clear that newspaper endorsements really matter anymore. Political science evidence on this question is mixed.

• Even in low-information local races, it's hard to weigh the Star Tribune's endorsement influence, former longtime media reporter David Brauer told Axios.

The intrigue: The crowded 2013 Minneapolis mayor's race was a notable exception. Brauer said the Strib's surprise endorsement likely helped propel Betsy Hodges to victory.

"On balance," Brauer said, "it's good" that the Star Tribune isn't endorsing candidates.

• "I think it's heavy-handed. I don't think readers like it overall."