Tennessee newspaper ends presidential endorsements

Associated Press

Updated: Oct 15, 2012 3:57 PM

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Knoxville News Sentinel is ending its decades-old tradition of endorsing a presidential candidate.

Editor Jack McElroy said in a column (http://bit.ly/WpA2Ec ) published Sunday that in the age of the Internet and 24-hour news, citizens have the same sources of information that the newspaper has access to.

The newspaper has endorsed presidential candidates since its beginnings in the 1920s. Until 2008, the newspaper's presidential endorsement was decided by its parent company, E.W. Scripps Co.

Most went to Republicans, including in 2000 when the paper backed George W. Bush over Tennessean Al Gore. In 2008, the newspaper's editorial board endorsed John McCain.

The paper will continue to endorse local races.

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