The Washington Post is undergoing massive staff cuts, culling hundreds of journalists, as owner Jeff Bezos pushes to halt annual losses of about $100 million and achieve break-even status by the end of 2026.
According to a Financial Times report citing sources familiar with the matter, Bezos hopes these drastic reductions will stem the bleeding and refocus the struggling newspaper. People close to management indicated that reaching break-even could unlock fresh funding from Bezos, who would be more willing to invest in a self-sustaining operation. One source described it as a "clear path now to break even this year and to get fresh capital to grow."
The layoffs, described in broader reporting as affecting up to one-third of staff across departments (not just the newsroom), include eliminations in areas like sports, international, and metro coverage. Former editor Marty Baron and others have criticized Bezos's role in the paper's troubles, while staff and unions have expressed betrayal and called for sustained investment in journalism.
Bezos remains committed to the Post and has rejected past offers to sell, per sources in the FT piece. The moves reflect a broader "strategic reset" amid industry-wide headwinds for legacy media, as rivals like The New York Times report stronger performance.