When Newspapers Lose Readers, Not Just Revenue

A “Strategic Restructuring” or a Strategic Wreck?
When the Washington Post laid off one-third of its already dwindling staff, including the entire sports department, foreign bureaus, and book reviews, leadership framed it as a “strategic restructuring” to cut costs. If the Titanic had been run by Post executives, they would have described the iceberg as a “necessary pivot.”

This Wasn’t Trimming Fat — It Was Removing Organs
This wasn’t trimming fat. This was removing organs and hoping the body would acclimate. They lost leftist subscribers when they tried to move to the center and had no friends on the right to make up the difference.

The Arrogance of Institutions That Think They Can’t Fail
For years, the paper operated with the arrogance of an institution convinced it was too important to fail, lecturing about accountability while unable to muster a shred of it for itself. It wasn’t just any newspaper; it was The Federal Reserve of newsprint.

Blaming the Market Instead of the Mirror
Dismissed outright is how the Post had spent years alienating half the country. Then, when the numbers tanked, it was the market that failed them, not their reflection in the mirror.

Bezos Bought a Brand in Decline
Jeff Bezos bought the failing Washington Post that had devolved into a Democratic Party house organ in 2013 and tried to turn it into a viable news organization capable of sustaining itself in a competitive media landscape.

In doing so, Bezos lost $100 million annually.

Even Billionaires Count the Cost
Even for a billionaire, keeping track of such things is how one gets to be a billionaire.

Corporate Disconnect in Real Time
The layoffs were a masterclass in corporate disconnect executed via emails and Zoom calls. After 36 years, sports reporter Gene Wang was cut loose like a holiday temp hire. Democracy dies in darkness, but apparently so do careers.

Journalism Isn’t Dying — Credibility Is
The Post didn’t implode because journalism is dying. Journalism isn’t dying. People want information, context, storytelling, and most of all – truth.

Readers Want Reporting, Not Posturing
Readers don’t want to be condescended to or managed. They want reporting, not posturing. They want balanced coverage, especially on its op/ed page. They want a newspaper that remembers it is a newspaper, not a lifestyle brand with a martyr complex.

The Public Is Not the Enemy
Readers are the consumer, not the enemy, and management is not infallible.

The Mission of a Newspaper
A newspaper’s job is to serve the public, not scold it.

Preaching Transparency, Practicing Secrecy
The Post warned about threats to democracy while ignoring the threat of its own managerial hubris. It championed transparency while making decisions behind closed doors. It preached about listening while ignoring when subscriptions dwindled.

A Cautionary Tale for the Entire Industry
The Post is a cautionary tale in contemporary journalism that extends far beyond their D.C. offices. They were an institution that mistook arrogance for authority, branding for trust, and managerial jargon for leadership. They confidently marched off a cliff while pontificating the importance of guardrails.

Consolidation Has Hollowed Out the Press
Four of the biggest American newspaper conglomerates are the Gannett Co. Inc., GateHouse Media Inc., the Sun-Times Media Group, and the Journal Register Company. Together they have shuttered over 400 newspapers since 2009 and dismissed more than 45,000 employees.

Those that remain are on life support.

Insult the Reader, Lose the Reader
News is a tough sell if readers doubt your veracity. Insult half your readers and the whole enterprise collapses.

Accuracy Isn’t Enough if Trust Is Gone
Bezos said of newspapers: “We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate . . . but we are failing on the second requirement.” Bezos failed to realize that the second requirement can’t be met until the first is satisfied.

The credulity of the American public does have its limits.

Unbiased News Has Demand — It Just Wasn’t Met
Bezos saw the demand for unbiased news; the Post simply didn’t meet it.

Local Journalism Still Has a Pulse
The future is not as bleak as the Post suggests.

Newspapers that report honestly, listen to readers, and stay rooted in their communities earn the trust that keeps them indispensable. National giants may have lost their way, but locally grounded journalism still has a pulse, a purpose, and an audience.