Washington Post makes sweeping layoffs amid financial distress

• "This is a tragic day for American journalism, the city of Washington, and the country as a whole. I'm grieving for reporters I love and whose work upheld the truest and most noble callings of the profession," said Jeff Stein, chief economics correspondent for the Post.
• "They are being punished for mistakes they did not cause."

By the numbers: A few hundred people were impacted by the newsroom cuts Monday, sources told Axios.

• Dozens, if not hundreds, more are expected to be cut this week that are part of the business and tech teams.
• Around 75 people were laid off at ArcXP, the Post's tech arm.

The big picture: Once considered a historic newspaper success story, the Post has devolved into a shell of itself as it tried to reinvent its brand.

• The paper experienced a decade of growth and optimism after it was purchased by billionaire Jeff Bezos for just $250 million in 2013.
• The hiring of a controversial new management team in 2024 and opinion section changes driven by Bezos have disrupted the paper's culture, driving a talent exodus as the paper faces serious business challenges.

Zoom in: Murray announced the cuts on an 8:30am ET call with employees, who were told to stay home for the day.

• CEO Will Lewis was not on the call, two sources told Axios.
• Shortly after Murray's call, employees began receiving emails notifying them if they were being impacted by the cuts.
• The cuts will have a major impact on the Post's award-winning international desk, as well as its sports and metro coverage. The Post's daily podcast "Post Reports" is also getting cut, a source said.

What they're saying: "The Washington Post is taking a number of difficult but decisive actions today for our future, in what amounts to a significant restructuring across the company," a Post spokesperson said in a statement.

• "These steps are designed to strengthen our footing and sharpen our focus on delivering the distinctive journalism that sets The Post apart and, most importantly, engages our customers."
• In a separate statement shared by the Post's comms, Murray said, "Platforms like Search that shaped the previous era of digital news, and which once helped The Post thrive, are in serious decline."
• "Our organic search has fallen by nearly half in the last three years. And we are still in the early days of AI-generated content, which is drastically reshaping user experiences and expectations."

The other side: The Washington Post Guild said in a statement that the paper has shrunk its workforce by roughly 400 people in the last three years.

• The union called out Bezos, saying if he is "no longer willing to invest in the mission that has defined this paper for generations and serve the millions who depend on Post journalism, then The Post deserves a steward that will."

Catch up quick: Bezos hired Lewis, a British journalist who was CEO of Wall Street Journal parent Dow Jones, as publisher and chief executive of the Post in early 2024.

• Lewis' tenure has been plagued by controversies. Tensions between him and the Post newsroom escalated in 2024 amid reports of his role in the 2000's British phone hacking scandal.

• Lewis has been absent from most major newsroom announcements, amid rising tension between him and newsroom staff.

Context: Lewis laid out a grand vision to put subscriptions at the center of the Post's business and to lean more heavily into AI and events.

• He hired former WSJ editor Murray to lead the Post's newsroom. Murray announced major changes to the newsroom last year meant to broaden the outlet's coverage and reach a wider audience.
• Lewis has been blunt with staffers about shifting the paper in a new direction. Last year, when offering staff buyouts, he encouraged staffers "who do not feel aligned with the company's plan" to reflect on the offer.

Between the lines: The Post has seen several rounds of cuts over the past two years as it tried to become profitable again.

• Dozens of journalists have taken buyouts and left the storied paper over the past year, fueling speculation about how the outlet can survive while bleeding so much talent.
• In January 2025, it announced a 4% staff cut, impacting fewer than 100 roles across business functions.
• It laid off 54 people at its publishing tech arm Arc XP in 2024.
• The company offered voluntary buyouts to 240 staffers in late 2023.

Zoom out: While the Post isn't alone in trying to find its footing in the digital era, the disruption to its operations and culture have been particularly stark.

• The Post has been losing tens of millions of dollars for years. It passed on opportunities to sell Arc XP during the pandemic.

What to watch: While the Post continues to struggle, its main rivals — the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal — are thriving.

• The Times announced on an earnings call Wednesday that it's on pace to reach its stated goal of 15 million digital subscribers by the end of 2027.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from the Washington Post and additional details on the cuts.