Seattle Times Journalists Protest Publisher Sponsoring Political Ads

Paper is owned and run by local family

More than 100 Seattle Times journalists have signed a protest letter because of their publisher's decision to sponsor political adverts.

It is underwriting ads on behalf of >Rob McKenna, who is standing as the Republican candidate for the state of Washington.

And it is doing the same for the referendum 74 campaign that seeks to legalise same-sex marriage in the state.

The Times is one of the few remaining major city dailies in the United States independently operated and owned by a local family (the Blethens).