Washington Post Begins Sweeping Layoffs The layoffs are slated to shrink the newsroom by hundreds of journalists, [View all]
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/media/washington-post-layoffs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.JlA.v0Ft.IOMSKeirCySM&smid=url-share
Washington Post Begins Sweeping Layoffs
The layoffs are slated to shrink the newsroom by hundreds of journalists, cutting into The Posts local, international and sports coverage.
The Washington Post told employees on Wednesday that it was beginning a widespread round of layoffs.
The cuts, announced in a video call with employees, are a sign that Jeff Bezos, who became one of the worlds richest people by selling things on the internet, has not yet figured out how to build and maintain a profitable publication on the internet. The paper expanded during the first several years of his ownership, but the company has sputtered more recently.
The actions we are taking include a broad strategic reset with a significant staff reduction, Matt Murray, The Posts executive editor, said on the call.
Mr. Bezos hired Will Lewis as publisher in late 2023 to find a path to profitability for The Post, which had been suffering from declining audiences and sagging subscriptions. Mr. Lewis has experimented with several changes to transform the organization, notably embracing artificial intelligence to power comments, podcasts and news aggregation.