CRUMBLING EMPIRE: Major liberal news outlet announces mass layoffs

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From the New York Times: The Washington Post told employees on Wednesday that it was beginning a widespread round of layoffs that are expected to decimate the organization’s sports, local news and international coverage.

The company is laying off about 30 percent of all its employees, according to two people with knowledge of the decision. That includes people on the business side and more than 300 of the roughly 800 journalists in the newsroom, the people said.

The cuts are a sign that Jeff Bezos, who became one of the world’s 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.

Matt Murray, The Post’s executive editor, said on a call Wednesday morning with newsroom employees that the company had lost too much money for too long and had not been meeting readers’ needs. He said that all sections would be affected in some way, and that the result would be a publication focused even more on national news and politics, as well as business and health, and far less on other areas.

CNN separately announced: Post employees had been bracing for widespread layoffs for several weeks. On Wednesday morning, staffers were told to “stay home today” while notices were sent about who had been laid off.

Although the sports department is shutting down, Murray said some of those reporters would move into other departments.

The Post is also greatly reducing their international coverage, although reporters will remain in nearly a dozen locations. Reporters in the Middle East, India and Australia are all being axed.

The Post notified hundreds of staff that their positions have been “eliminated” via email.

Mutiple employees announced on X that they received one of the “eliminated” emails.

Caroline Donovan wrote, “Haven’t posted here in years but uh… some news. i’m out, along with just a ton of the best in the biz. horrible.”

Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson wrote, “I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I’m devastated.”

Race and ethnicity reporter Emmanuel Felton complained, “I’m among the hundreds of people laid off by The Post. This comes six months after hearing in a national meeting that race coverage drives subscriptions. This wasn’t a financial decision, it was an ideological one.”

Cairo bureau chief Claire Parker announced, “Laid off from the Washington Post, along with the entire roster of Middle East correspondents and our editors. Hard to understand the logic. But I am grateful for my incredible colleagues, whose grit and dedication to the reporting and each other I will miss dearly.”

The Washington Post Guild condemned the layoffs in a scathing statement.

Several people are responding by announcing they have cancelled their subscription.

READ MORE from the New York Times.

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