Paper-Thin Ethics

The Los Angeles Times is facing ethical questions after one of its shows aired what looked like a news story—but was actually an undisclosed promotion for billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong’s drug company.

Author

Oliver Darcy
March 13, 2025

Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong. (Photo by Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Angelica Coronado, a host for the Los Angeles Times’ daily podcast and web show that highlights the day’s biggest headlines, was going through the program's rundown when she landed on a story that caught the attention of some newsroom staffers. Unlike the other stories that Coronado was spotlighting on the show, this one was rather peculiar. It wasn’t a top story at the national or local level, or a viral feel-good piece you might see on ABC’s "World News Tonight." Instead, it was an advertisement for billionaire Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong's drug company masquerading as a news story.

"ImmunityBio Incorporated, based in Culver City, has just received a major boost from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," Coronado said on the show, explaining that it all added up to a "significant development in the fight against cancer." Coronado shouted out Soon-Shiong and closed the segment by stating that the FDA's "commitment to work with ImmunityBio could help move these innovative therapies closer to approval, potentially saving lives in the future."

Notably, Coronado did not disclose that Soon-Shiong is also the owner of the newspaper. But, more troubling to the journalists at the paper was that it found its way into the show’s rundown in the first place. Who put it there, and why? When I asked The Times about the segment…

The remainder of this newsletter is for paid subscribers only.

Scoop-driven reporting and sharp-edged analysis. See why thousands of industry professionals rely on Status.

Already a subscriber? Sign in.

A subscription gets you full access to our nightly newsletter, which includes:

✅ Essential reporting on and analysis of the Fourth Estate, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, the Information Wars, and more.

✅ Hand-curated links to the most consequential stories moving the needle in the key corridors of the industry.

✅ Unlimited access to our online archive where you can read previous editions of the newsletter.