CALGARY — The Washington Post has laid off one-third of its staff.The Post announced Wednesday that it has begun implementing large cutbacks that will affect all departments, including completely eliminating its sports department and decreasing the number of overseas journalists it employs.Reuters reports that Matt Murray, the Post’s executive editor, announced the layoffs in a Zoom meeting with staff but did not reveal the total number of positions that will be affected by the cutbacks.He stated that the cuts will be a shock to the system, but the overall goal is to create a Post that can grow and thrive again.Newsroom staff members were told they would be receiving emails with one of two subject lines, announcing whether their role has or has not been terminated..New York Times reporters deny executive editor’s claim staff is full of ‘activists’ .The move had been expected for several weeks, since it was leaked that the Post had told sports staffers planning to cover the Winter Olympics in Italy that they would not be attending.After that decision was made public, the Post reversed its position and said it would be sending a limited number of staff to attend the Games in Milano Cortina.According to Murray, the newspaper’s books department will be shuttered, and its Washington-area news department and editing staff will be restructured. It was also revealed that the Post Reports podcast will be suspended..Former Post editor Marty Baron unleashed a scathing statement on social media, saying the layoffs rank “among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organizations.”“Of course, there were acute business problems that had to be addressed,” Baron wrote, citing “head-spinning change in media consumption” and the need for “radical innovation.” But he argued the paper’s situation was “made infinitely worse by ill-conceived decisions that came from the very top.”The Post’s troubles stand in sharp contrast to its longtime competitor, The New York Times, which has thrived in recent years largely due to investments in ancillary products such as its Games site and Wirecutter product recommendations. Over the past decade, the Times has doubled its staff. In recent weeks, many Post staff members have appealed directly to the newspaper’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, as the paper continues to bleed subscribers. While Bezos said he wanted to rebuild trust with the readership, Baron argued the opposite occurred. “Subscribers lost trust in his stewardship and, notwithstanding the newsroom’s stellar journalism, The Post overall.” Baron wrote, adding that many leading journalists also lost confidence in Bezos and left for other outlets. Baron further criticized what he described as Bezos’s “sickening efforts to curry favour with President Trump,” calling the episode “a case study in near-instant, self-inflicted brand destruction.”“Many superior journalists will remain at The Post, delivering important work. I expect they will continue to hold power to account, as they have done spectacularly well for decades. They deserve the support of all who believe in quality journalism,” Baron concluded.
