Amazon covers election night as Jeff Bezos faces backlash over lack of support

Amazon Prime Video has announced it will stream the US election with former NBC news anchor Brian Williams as Jeff Bezos faces backlash The Washington Post Decision not to support a presidential candidate for the first time in 36 years.

Bezos' multi-trillion-dollar company has released a trailer for its election reporting program. Election Night Liveon Friday on Prime Video, Williams shows how he invites people to “experience history together.”

On the same day, The postalso owned by Bezos, published an article saying it would not support any candidate in this year's election, as it has done for nearly four decades, or in future presidential elections. The newspaper's editorial board has traditionally supported Democrats, endorsing Joe Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016, both of whom ran against Donald Trump.

The move sparked fierce backlash: Opinion columnist and editor-in-chief Robert Kagan resigned in protest, while a group of post Columnists co-signed an article condemning the decision.

Amazon Prime Video is hoping for bipartisanship, as reported by diversity in September, citing five people familiar with the matter.

In the trailer, Williams says, “The collective voice of the American people is not quiet. In fact, it's wonderfully loud. Every voice counts, every one of them is important. And on election night, those voices will get louder.”

“Live from every corner of our country – we are here to provide clarity and bring you what you need to know, when you need to know it – all the coverage, all the results, all in one place. So join us, let’s experience history together.”

Williams will rely largely on the Associated Press to learn how both candidates are faring in each state. diversity reported. The channel is expected to attract guests from across the country.

Bipartisanship was also a theme in the newspaper's Oct. 25 note, when publisher William Lewis wrote: “Our job at The Washington Post is to provide unbiased news for all Americans through the newsroom and to provide thought-provoking, reported views from our Opinion team to help our readers form their own opinions.”

The editor stated that not supporting a presidential candidate was a return to the US presidential candidate Posts “roots” because it has refrained from issuing an endorsement in the past with a few exceptions, including 1952, when it supported General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and 1976, when it supported Jimmy Carter.

Since then, the newspaper has regularly endorsed presidential candidates, except in 1988, when it declined to choose between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis.

“We recognize that this will be interpreted in different ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, a condemnation of another, or an abdication of responsibility. This is inevitable. We don't see it that way.” Lewis said. “We see it as consistent with values The post has always stood for what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in the service of American ethics, reverence for the rule of law and respect for human freedom in all its aspects.”

He wrote: “We also view it as a statement in support of our readers' ability to form their own opinions on this most consequential American decision – who to vote for as the next president.”

In the letter of conviction dated 18 post Opinion columnists responded, calling the decision a “terrible mistake.”

They wrote: “It represents a departure from the newspaper’s core editorial beliefs that we love. This is a moment for the institution to make clear its commitment to democratic values, the rule of law and international alliances, as well as the threat posed by Donald. Trump presents the exact points The post made to support Trump’s opponents in 2016 and 2020.”

On Sunday, opinion writer Dana Milbank wrote an article claiming that Bezos had “effectively instructed the newspaper not to publish her support for Kamala Harris.”

Milbank said: “It is certainly the owner's prerogative to adopt a general non-endorsement policy and it would have been perfectly reasonable for this to have been done outside of the political cycle (such endorsements ceased to influence voters a long time ago) but.” Eleven days before.” During the election, it seemed like cowering to a would-be dictator was being done to protect Bezos' business interests – especially since Donald Trump met with executives from Bezos' aerospace company, Blue Origin, on the same day met.”

Executives from Bezos' space exploration company Blue Origin met with Trump on Oct. 25, the same day the non-endorsement was announced, Kagan said Daily Beast on Saturday.

“Trump waited to make sure Bezos did what he promised — and then met with the Blue Origin people,” Kagan said.

Newsweek emailed the Trump and Amazon teams, as well as Blue Origin, for comment on Bezos' behalf.

Election Night Live is streaming worldwide on Prime Video and is free to watch for all Amazon customers.