Concerned Washington Post staff seek urgent meeting with owner Jeff Bezos amid 'crisis'

Concerned about the publication's future, a group of over 400 Washington Post staff members, including top journalists and correspondents, have written a letter to the newspaper's owner Jeff Bezos seeking an urgent meeting, The Guardian reported.

The letter sent a day earlier, expresses alarm over recent leadership decisions that have damaged the paper's integrity, led to a loss of transparency, and prompted the departure of several high-profile colleagues.

A screenshot of the letter posted on X.Courtesy: @BenMullin/X

The letter further emphasizes that their concerns are not related to Bezos' decision to end the Post's endorsement of US presidential candidates, which they acknowledge is his prerogative as the owner. Rather, “This is about retaining our competitive edge, restoring trust that has been lost, and re-establishing a relationship with leadership based on open communication,” the letter reads.

The Washington Post has been facing significant financial struggles, having lost 250,000 subscribers (10% of its subscription base) and $100 million in 2024, following its decision not to endorse presidential candidates. The paper's website has also seen a decline in digital visitors, from 114 million in November 2020 to 54 million in November 2024.

However, the letter denies the concerns were related to Bezos' decision to not endorse presidential candidates.

The staff's plea for a meeting comes after a week of layoffs, which saw approximately 100 employees let go, accounting for 4% of the publication's staff. The company's chief executive, Will Lewis, has been at the center of controversy among staff members since taking over in November 2023.

The newsroom's top editor, Sally Buzbee, stepped down in June, and several opinion staff writers resigned after the announcement that the Post would no longer endorse presidential candidates. Similarly, Ann Telnaes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, left the newspaper after it chose not to print her cartoon portraying billionaires kneeling before Trump.

However, The Post endorsed all of Trump's nominees for confirmation except for four: Pete Hegseth (Defense), Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence), Russell Vought (Office of Management and Budget), and Robert F Kennedy Jr (Health Secretary).

The letter stresses the need for open communication between leadership and staff. Staff members are requesting a meeting with Bezos to discuss their concerns and restore the paper's integrity and competitiveness.