The Las Vegas Review Journal is the only daily newspaper (with any significant circulation) in the entire LV metro area. Its expressed positions are extremely right-wing, with editorial space being given to, among other lunatics, a self-professed white supremacist and a fawning Trump supporter who makes Sean Hannity sound like a rational person (yes, that can be done!). The headlines are usually written with a strong conservative slant. This is because Sheldon Adelson, casino mogul and billionaire, bought the LVRJ in secret several years ago. Since then, while the paper was never "fair and balanced," it has lurched strongly to the right.

 

The Las Vegas Sun existed for years as the Valley's other major newspaper. It has since been assimilated by the LVRJ. It continues to exist after a fashion as an insert inside the LVRJ. Due to a lack of funding and staff, it's confined to mostly excerpts and articles from other newspapers and one locally sourced opinion column. It does, however, have Dilbert and Pearls Before Swine!

 

Adelson has expressed discontent with the Sun's editorial alignment--not at all in sync with the right-wing extremist ideology of its "parent" paper--and has ordered the LVRJ to cease publication of the Sun. Presumably, Adelson will have the Sun staffers executed, then impose a resort fee on LVRJ subscribers.

 

Las Vegas is the largest metro area in the country with only one major daily newspaper. Crushing the Sun will exacerbate that problem. Also, in Vegas, liberals now outnumber conservatives. Thus, the removal of the Sun will cost readership. But that doesn't really bother Adelson.

 

And, in anticipation of the usual bleating from our Trumpers, a single paper with a single editorial slant is NOT good for a city--and that's true whether that single paper is liberal or conservative, or takes a neutral stance for that matter. Diverse points of view are an inherent positive.

 

Trumpers fantasize about a new world in which the truth is what conservatives say it is. Las Vegas is taking one step closer to that. In Vegas, money=power, to a greater extent than most places, and you see that effect in so many ways--from routine executions of suspects by the police, to the diversion of public funds to projects that benefit primarily the casinos, to the persecution of labor activists, to a terrible school citywide school district. Now, all the news that's fit to print will be pro-Trump.

 

It's something you should seriously consider if you're thinking about moving to Vegas.