Washington Post Faces Financial Turmoil Amid Controversial Endorsement Decision

The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is reportedly on course to incur losses totaling $77 million this year. This figure comes amid significant unrest within the publication following a recent decision not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. The decision is said to have contributed to the cancellation of approximately 250,000 subscriptions, as revealed in reports from New York Magazine‘s Intelligencer and other media sources.

A senior editor disclosed the financial projection during a meeting with reporters and editors, although they did not specify how the subscriber loss would further impact the paper’s finances. As the newsroom grapples with both financial and editorial turbulence, there are increasing concerns about the paper’s future under Bezos’s ownership, despite assurances that he remains committed to fixing the publication.

Will Lewis, recently appointed as publisher and a former executive within Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, has been at the center of these developments. The endorsement controversy followed Lewis’s efforts to reform the Washington Post’s structure, including the introduction of a “third newsroom” focused on modern journalistic approaches.

The decision to halt the endorsement of Kamala Harris reportedly came from Bezos himself and has seen backlash from liberal subscribers, resulting in roughly 10% of the Post’s 2.5 million subscribers canceling their memberships, as reported by NPR. In his commentary on the decision, Bezos emphasized the need for the media to rebuild trust and claimed that ceasing endorsements was a strategic step toward enhancing credibility.

This upheaval comes during a tumultuous period for the paper, with some of its leading journalists reportedly seeking opportunities elsewhere. As the Post anticipates the pressures of covering the incoming Trump administration, this instability within the newsroom adds to the challenges it currently faces.

The Post’s editorial board, previously chaired by Sally Buzbee who has since resigned, is experiencing leadership transitions as Matt Murray steps in temporarily. Meanwhile, discussions regarding a permanent top editorial position continue, involving potential candidates from both within the organization and external sources.