The Washington Post, a major US newspaper known throughout the world, plans to lay off hundreds of journalists. Owner Bezos has shown concern over poor results in revenue and readership
Il Washington Postone of the leading United States newspapers known throughout the world, plans to fire hundreds of journalists. Reporting it is the New York Timesaccording to which there would have been a video call with employees to announce the start of cuts in the editorial office. This decision comes a few days after the newspaper – published since 2013 by the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos – he reduced coverage of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics due to increasing financial losses.
Communication to employees
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The executive director, Matt Murray, and the head of human resources, Wayne Connell, sent an email to employees inviting them to “stay at home for the whole day” but asking to join a Zoom meeting at 8.30 in the morning. According to some internal sources, «the actions we are taking include a broad strategic reset with significant staff cuts. The actions are to secure the future», were Murray’s words. He then confirmed that the most important sections of the most important news will remain those on politics and government and coverage on topics such as s. will growciencies, health, technologies and stories of everyday life online.
Staff cuts
The layoffs had been expected for weeks, precisely since the management had announced that journalists would not be sent to cover the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games event. According to what was reported, the cut should affect approximately a third of the employees of the Washington Post, including more than 300 of the 800 total journalists in the editorial team. The measures expected to be implemented are closure almost all of the Sport editorial staff, the elimination of that Books and the cancellation of the Post Reports daily podcast. The Metro newsroom, which covers Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, could be significantly cut. It figures a also a strong reduction in international coveragealthough many foreign editorial offices will remain operational.
The letter from the journalists
Recently the billionaire Bezos, owner of the newspaper, showed concern about the poor results in terms of revenues and also readers. Bureau chief Matt Viser and seven other White Cas reporters signed a letter – obtained and disclosed by Cnn – with which journalists warn that the newspaper will not be able to maintain its standards of excellence if they are hit significantly other areas of the header. «If the plan is to reorient the newspaper almost exclusively on politics – we read – we want to underline how much our work depends on collaboration with foreign, sports and local editorial teams. If one party is weakened, we will all suffer.”
The Washington Post crisis
The founder of Amazon and billionaire Jeff Bezos bought the American newspaper Washington Post in 2013. His line was initially characterized by important investments in the development of information and a contrasting position compared to Donald Trump’s first administration. So much so that the newspaper has recorded significant growth in terms of digital subscriptions and revenues. For two years, however, the slowdown has been evident, probably because the newspaper has reached the maximum possible level in terms of audience, to the point that Bezos himself has ordered a reversal in positioning towards the president of the United States.
