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Washington Post Slashes Workforce by One-Third, Shutters Sports and Books in Major Reset

Leaders call the overhaul a strategic reset to curb steep losses.

Overview

  • About one-third of employees across the company were laid off, including more than 300 newsroom jobs, after executive editor Matt Murray announced the restructuring on a morning Zoom call.
  • The Sports department was eliminated in its current form, the Books section was closed, the Post Reports podcast was suspended, and the Metro desk and editing ranks were reduced.
  • International coverage was cut as several foreign bureaus and correspondents were let go, including reporters covering the Middle East and the RussiaUkraine war, while a limited sports presence shifts to features and the print section.
  • Murray said politics and government will remain the largest desk, with greater emphasis on national affairs, national security, science, technology, climate, and business to drive engagement and subscriber growth.
  • Management cited falling search traffic and operating losses reported at $77 million in 2023 and about $100 million in 2024, as the Post Guild, former editor Marty Baron, and public figures criticized the cuts and pressed Jeff Bezos to reinvest or sell.