For the first time in thirty years, the Salt Lake Tribune will endorse political candidates in its editorial section.

The Tribune, which is the most circulated newspaper in Utah, will choose sides in all three congressional races this November.

The last political candidate the Tribune endorsed was President Richard Nixon in 1972. After the Watergate scandal arose, former editor John W. Gallivan made the decision to no longer endorse political candidates.

"The publisher at the time said that if we had such poor judgment as to endorse Nixon twice, we should not endorse candidates anymore," said Paul Wetzel, opinion writer for the Tribune. "That was the end of endorsements in the Tribune."

Media News Group, who recently bought the Tribune, owns 49 papers throughout the country and all but a few endorse political candidates.

"We were told in our first meeting with Media News Group that they wanted us to endorse political candidates," Wetzel said. "It was Media News Groups decision and now it will be the policy of the Tribune."

"It is generally considered part of the responsibility of newspapers to make endorsements, to let readers know where they stand," said Michael Bush, vice president of operations for Media News Group.

Alf Pratte, BYU professor of communications, said that a newspaper is one of the best avenues to learn about political candidates.

"I am pleased to see a newspaper in Utah endorsing candidates," Pratte said. "In my opinion it shows that the Tribune's editorial page will be one of the most vibrant in Utah."

Pratte, who said that political endorsements are part of American newspaper history, feels that it takes courage and risk for a paper to endorse someone.

"It can be a lose-lose situation," Pratt said. "You lose those that you don't endorse, but if you choose the wrong candidate then you look bad."

Media News Group also recognizes that some risk is involved with endorsing candidates.

"Some papers do not want to alienate people," Bush said. "But it is also a newspaper's responsibility to show some leadership in their community."

Candidates who will be directly affected by the endorsements have mixed feelings about the Tribunes new policy.

"Congressman Jim Matheson feels very comfortable with it," said Clint Warby, communications director for Matheson. "He feels that anything that engages people in political practice is good."

Matheson has not commented on whether he believes the Tribune will support him in the upcoming campaign, but he does look forward to meeting with the editorial board, Warby said.

John Swallow, who is running against Matheson for the congressional seat in Utah's second district, places little emphasis on gaining the endorsement of the Tribune.

"The most important endorsement that our campaign will receive is the endorsement of the voters," said Emily Christensen, press secretary for Swallow.

Swallow would welcome the endorsement of the Tribune but is more concerned with having a hands-on relationship with the voters, Christianson said.

Although editorial endorsements may be new in Utah, most major dailies across the country do participate in the practice, Bush said.

"I think it is stranger when newspapers don't make endorsements than when they do," Bush said.

The only other papers in Utah that regularly endorse candidates are The Spectrum of St. George and The Herald Journal of Logan.

Copyright Brigham Young University 18 Sep 2002