The Washington Post, a renowned American newspaper, is currently undergoing a significant transformation, as revealed by its CEO and publisher, Will Lewis.
In a recent internal memo, Lewis encouraged employees who are not in sync with the paper's new editorial and business strategy to consider a voluntary exit. The memo, which was later obtained by Fox News, underscored the newspaper's commitment to a new direction and its readiness to part ways with those who are not on board.
According to The Post Millennial, Lewis described the Washington Post as being on a "reinvention journey," with significant changes such as a restructured opinion section that now champions American values. Lewis wrote, If we want to reconnect with our audience and continue to defend democracy, more changes at The Post will be necessary. And to succeed, we need to be united as a team with a strong belief and passion in where we are heading.
Lewis acknowledged the existence of dissent within the staff and introduced the voluntary separation program (VSP) as a cushion for those who no longer feel aligned with the company's direction. He stated, As we continue in this new direction, I want to ask those who do not feel aligned with the companys plan to reflect on that. The VSP helps you take that next step with more security. The VSP offers attractive exit packages, including up to 18 months of base pay for veteran staffers and additional retirement contributions.
This internal communication comes at a time when the Washington Post is grappling with a significant decline in readership and subscriptions. The newspaper has experienced a drastic drop in daily traffic from 22.5 million users in January 2021 to a mere 2.53 million in 2024, representing a loss of 20 million users. Revenue has also dipped from $190 million to $174 million, and the company ceased public reporting of traffic figures last year following a reported 60 percent decline.
The dwindling number of subscribers is linked to two contentious editorial decisions by Amazon founder and Post owner, Jeff Bezos. In October 2024, Bezos reportedly ordered the paper to retract its endorsement of thenVice President Kamala Harris just days before the presidential election, leading to over 300,000 subscription cancellations. In February, Bezos announced a policy shift that editorial pages must now promote individual liberties and free markets, a directive that has sparked further backlash from staff and readers alike.
Several veteran journalists have resigned in protest. Opinion editor David Shipley and associate editor and longtime columnist Ruth Marcus are among those who have left the Post. Marcus, in her resignation letter, wrote, Jeff's announcement threatens to break the trust of readers that columnists are writing what they believe, not what the owner has deemed acceptable. Will's decision to not run the column underscores that the traditional freedom of columnists to select the topics they wish to address and say what they think has been dangerously eroded.
Bezos has publicly defended his vision, arguing in an op-ed that ending presidential endorsements was a move to restore the papers credibility. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence, Bezos wrote. Ending them is a principled decision, and its the right one.
Despite these changes, the Washington Post continues to face challenges. More than 75,000 digital subscribers canceled their subscriptions in the 48 hours following Bezoss February announcement, exacerbating the financial and reputational challenges for the Democracy Dies in Darkness publication.
The Post has also imposed in-office mandates, instructing remote workers to return or resign. For Lewis, this transformation is non-negotiable. Regardless of what you decide, I want to thank all of you for everything you have done for this organization, he wrote. If you believe in our next chapter, Im excited for the work ahead of us.
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