OT: Washington Post layoffs

[TheC]

Let us have it out man, it’s boring as hell around here since UW landed Miller

I think Cappy is well aware that many on here are biting their tongues to keep from responding to some of the subtle partisan jabs that have been taken in this thread. If that ends, all hell breaks loose. I think capping this thread is probably a good idea. (Whoa... that pun wasn't even intended!)

If only there was an alternative board where those of us who do enjoy talking about some of these more societal topics could go to break it down without cluttering up the sports boards! You could call it something like the Rhetoric Board or maybe the Rant Page. I don't know.... just spitballing here.

 

[Eurocat]

Good thing for society there weren’t very many skilled reporters at WAPO.

Certainly they had their biases and problems but they also had enough good reporters to produce articles like this - all three came out yesterday, perhaps the last articles by these reporters?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/02/04/severed-pinkie-case-montgomery/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F46ad12f%2F6984cddba424af764b139886%2F597252a59bbc0f1cdce1f9a0%2F14%2F67%2F6984cddba424af764b139886

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/02/04/russia-shadow-fleet-europe-sanctions/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/02/05/near-death-experience-neuroscience-afterlife/

 

[Hungry Jack]

I love Rodger, but 1. It isn’t Bezo’s job to just endlessly lose money on something that is supposed to be a business and 2. It’s not like sports reporters even fulfill the (usually self important and arrogantly stated but still true) need societal role of journalists providing information and investigating the actions of our governments and sources of power.

A conservative rag dies from lack of readership, and no one cries (including me. I believe in the law of the competitive jungle). But WAPO cuts back after years of red ink, and it's a crime against humanity. Go figure.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

A conservative rag dies from lack of readership, and no one cries (including me. I believe in the law of the competitive jungle). But WAPO cuts back after years of red ink, and it's a crime against humanity. Go figure.

I loved the big, classic, obnoxious moralizing letter to nobody the last editor in chief posted online. One of the guys most responsible for driving the place into the ******* whining about how his sacred calling was being profaned.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I think Cappy is well aware that many on here are biting their tongues to keep from responding to some of the subtle partisan jabs that have been taken in this thread. If that ends, all hell breaks loose. I think capping this thread is probably a good idea. (Whoa... that pun wasn't even intended!)

If only there was an alternative board where those of us who do enjoy talking about some of these more societal topics could go to break it down without cluttering up the sports boards! You could call it something like the Rhetoric Board or maybe the Rant Page. I don't know.... just spitballing here.

Here's a shocking position on this I can drop: I'm actually supportive of pruning topics that have nothing to do with NU, especially when they become too toxic. One or two that doesn't become a total flame war isn't a big deal, but the idea that this is primarily a place to discuss Northwestern and Northwestern athletics, including various higher ed or larger athletics trends that impact NU, is reasonable and good. I also don't mind that there isn't a rant board. This isn't 2006, the entire damn world is a rant board now, we don't necessarily need one here. So win one for Cappy on this topic, I'm not always against moderation!

That said, PLEASE DONT CLOSE THIS ONE YET, IT'S SO DULL HERE WE NEED SOMETHING OTHER THAN BAZ'S ONGOING PSYCHOSIS TO ENTERTAIN US.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I think Cappy is well aware that many on here are biting their tongues to keep from responding to some of the subtle partisan jabs that have been taken in this thread. If that ends, all hell breaks loose. I think capping this thread is probably a good idea. (Whoa... that pun wasn't even intended!)

If only there was an alternative board where those of us who do enjoy talking about some of these more societal topics could go to break it down without cluttering up the sports boards! You could call it something like the Rhetoric Board or maybe the Rant Page. I don't know.... just spitballing here.

You want partisan? Go to the “Main Board”. It’s pure chaos. If you and Saint Paul head over there, we may never get you back.

 

[TheC]

You want partisan? Go to the “Main Board”. It’s pure chaos. If you and Saint Paul head over there, we may never get you back.

What's the Main Board?

To be clear, I liked the Rant Board, because it was, compared to the rest of the internet, a somewhat higher brow discussion of political/social issues. Yes, the discussions got heated sometimes and there were a few characters that liked to cause trouble, but I actually learned a lot by talking to some of my more right-leaning friends on here. It's amazing how valuable that can be, yet how little we now do it in this era of social media and performance politicians.

 

[stpaulcat]

It won't be long before a billionaire buys the NU football program, with no promise to NU as to whether to make it great or drive it into the ground, based on the school he or she graduated from.

 

[Hungry Jack]

It won't be long before a billionaire buys the NU football program, with no promise to NU as to whether to make it great or drive it into the ground, based on the school he or she graduated from.

Chicago already has a professional team with owners who are relatively successful in spite of themselves.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I loved the big, classic, obnoxious moralizing letter to nobody the last editor in chief posted online. One of the guys most responsible for driving the place into the ******* whining about how his sacred calling was being profaned.

Sounds a bit like Mark Carney at Davos

 

[Hungry Jack]

What's the Main Board?

To be clear, I liked the Rant Board, because it was, compared to the rest of the internet, a somewhat higher brow discussion of political/social issues. Yes, the discussions got heated sometimes and there were a few characters that liked to cause trouble, but I actually learned a lot by talking to some of my more right-leaning friends on here. It's amazing how valuable that can be, yet how little we now do it in this era of social media and performance politicians.

I haven't done much more than a few peeps, but I would bet it's a great place to wade into the $h!t and flame it up. I am tired of beating on St. Paul, so maybe I should take a look.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

What's the Main Board?

To be clear, I liked the Rant Board, because it was, compared to the rest of the internet, a somewhat higher brow discussion of political/social issues. Yes, the discussions got heated sometimes and there were a few characters that liked to cause trouble, but I actually learned a lot by talking to some of my more right-leaning friends on here. It's amazing how valuable that can be, yet how little we now do it in this era of social media and performance politicians.

It’s a very first forum with the On3 network. it’s not high brow, but it is interesting. In the last hour , here is a sample of some threads:

1) why the **** is Trump posting a video on Truth Central that depic Obama as apes?

2) We used to be a proper country?

3) Top 20 Power 5 schools mentioned in the Epstein files.

4) Traditional Wife role.

5) Clinton’s now saying they will do a public deposition on Epstein file.

6) RIP New York

7) Do you believe that trans kids exist?

8) War with Iran

9) In what way does supporting the state of Israel benefit American Citizens?

10) You voted for this monster.

Commenting on these topics doesn’t interest me at all. However, all of you clamoring for the rant board; this board of full of nonsensical takes no matter what your political leanings are. I am all for Cap moderation on political takes on this board. I am interested in Northwestern not world politics.

 

[Hungry Jack]

It’s a very first forum with the On3 network. it’s not high brow, but it is interesting. In the last hour , here is a sample of some threads:

1) why the **** is Trump posting a video on Truth Central that depic Obama as apes?

2) We used to be a proper country?

3) Top 20 Power 5 schools mentioned in the Epstein files.

4) Traditional Wife role.

5) Clinton’s now saying they will do a public deposition on Epstein file.

6) RIP New York

7) Do you believe that trans kids exist?

8) War with Iran

9) In what way does supporting the state of Israel benefit American Citizens?

10) You voted for this monster.

Commenting on these topics doesn’t interest me at all. However, all of you clamoring for the rant board; this board of full of nonsensical takes no matter what your political leanings are. I am all for Cap moderation on political takes on this board. I am interested in Northwestern not world politics.

Good lord. It’s an emporium of Crazy.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

I think Cappy is well aware that many on here are biting their tongues to keep from responding to some of the subtle partisan jabs that have been taken in this thread. If that ends, all hell breaks loose. I think capping this thread is probably a good idea. (Whoa... that pun wasn't even intended!)

If only there was an alternative board where those of us who do enjoy talking about some of these more societal topics could go to break it down without cluttering up the sports boards! You could call it something like the Rhetoric Board or maybe the Rant Page. I don't know.... just spitballing here.

Would you be willing to pay a subscription for this new board? Hopefully we have enough subscribers to support the work Lou and Matt do here. I imagine the lack of paid subscribers was a contributing factor to the demise of the WAPO.

 

[stpaulcat]

Anyone who wants to visit St. Paul, I'll take you to a Latino restaurant for a taste of local cuisine. Bring a whistle.

 

[TheC]

A conservative rag dies from lack of readership, and no one cries (including me. I believe in the law of the competitive jungle). But WAPO cuts back after years of red ink, and it's a crime against humanity. Go figure.

I don't think the sadness/concern is so much about politics, no matter how much you guys want to keep beating the bias drum. The WAPO was an American institution being the paper of record in our capital city. It will go down in American lore as the paper that broke the Watergate scandal and brought down Nixon for his wrongdoing. It is a pretty momentous occasion to see a standard bearer like the WAPO start to sink. Now, I agree, there are new forms of media that have taken over and the subscription newspaper model is a dinosaur. But I think we all should be concerned that we still have watchdogs keeping our powerful people (from all sides) in check - whether its WAPO or something else. WAPO certainly didn't have as much of an agenda as the kinds of feeds I see in social media now that passes for news.

 

[TheC]

It’s a very first forum with the On3 network. it’s not high brow, but it is interesting. In the last hour , here is a sample of some threads:

1) why the **** is Trump posting a video on Truth Central that depic Obama as apes?

2) We used to be a proper country?

3) Top 20 Power 5 schools mentioned in the Epstein files.

4) Traditional Wife role.

5) Clinton’s now saying they will do a public deposition on Epstein file.

6) RIP New York

7) Do you believe that trans kids exist?

8) War with Iran

9) In what way does supporting the state of Israel benefit American Citizens?

10) You voted for this monster.

Commenting on these topics doesn’t interest me at all. However, all of you clamoring for the rant board; this board of full of nonsensical takes no matter what your political leanings are. I am all for Cap moderation on political takes on this board. I am interested in Northwestern not world politics.

Dear lord.... no thank you. That's not what I'm looking for at all. Strangers yelling at each over about things they probably don't even fully understand. I liked our board because it was mostly intelligent people who already had a rapport from the other boards who could gently discuss and learn from each other. (I know it didn't always work that way, but it happened a lot more that what I expect happens on that awful board you shared. I'm still laughing about your post!)

 

[NU'06er]

I am all for Cap moderation on political takes on this board. I am interested in Northwestern not world politics.

I am in 99% agreement here, I just think it's classically one of those things that it is hard to draw a perfect dividing line on. I'm glad people are often able to use sports as a welcome escape, I'm for trying to keep this and other NU sports forums focused on Northwestern sports-related subject matter for the most part, and certainly being gratuitously and tangentially political on here ought to be frowned upon, but there is a difference between a politics free zone and a Northwestern sports zone.

Sometimes Northwestern sports stories are just going to have politics infused into them as a part of the subject matter. I'm not sure how one discusses, say, Kain Colter's unionization push without discussing labor politics, or Jim Foster and allegedly inappropriate comments about a female staff member without touching on the topic of gender.

All of which is to subtly suggest that maybe the premise of this entire thread was never Northwestern-focused in the first place, and I'll say again that's why all I really care to contribute to it substantively is Rodger's poke over on BlueSky that is at least NU-related by association...

 

[Eurocat]

What's the Main Board?

The Main Board - Forums

College Football’s Most Unhinged Message Board

www.on3.com

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The Main Board - Forums

College Football’s Most Unhinged Message Board

www.on3.com

They haven’t seen the game day thread for NU Basketball.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I am in 99% agreement here, I just think it's classically one of those things that it is hard to draw a perfect dividing line on. I'm glad people are often able to use sports as a welcome escape, I'm for trying to keep this and other NU sports forums focused on Northwestern sports-related subject matter for the most part, and certainly being gratuitously and tangentially political on here ought to be frowned upon, but there is a difference between a politics free zone and a Northwestern sports zone.

Sometimes Northwestern sports stories are just going to have politics infused into them as a part of the subject matter. I'm not sure how one discusses, say, Kain Colter's unionization push without discussing labor politics, or Jim Foster and allegedly inappropriate comments about a female staff member without touching on the topic of gender.

All of which is to subtly suggest that maybe the premise of this entire thread was never Northwestern-focused in the first place, and I'll say again that's why all I really care to contribute to it substantively is Rodger's poke over on BlueSky that is at least NU-related by association...

That’s the rub, any thread that starts with “OT” technically doesn’t meet the purpose of this board. It only takes 1-2 people to spiral the thread out of control. We’ve had threads quickly Capped that related to NU but not necessarily NU athletics. Federal funding, campus protests, and even the infamous hazing scandal got capped many of which were disguised as sports related. You either cap it all or let it all go.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

That’s the rub, any thread that starts with “OT” technically doesn’t meet the purpose of this board. It only takes 1-2 people to spiral the thread out of control. We’ve had threads quickly Capped that related to NU but not necessarily NU athletics. Federal funding, campus protests, and even the infamous hazing scandal got capped many of which were disguised as sports related. You either cap it all or let it all go.

I don’t think it’s that black and white. First, stuff that is related to NU but not really NU sports is of interest around here and deserves some space. There isn’t enough of it to deserve its own “NU Academics” type forum, but it’s not that OT.

Meanwhile, this thread is truly likely completely off topic. There isn’t even a tenuous NU tie in. But it’s correctly labeled as stuff and is the only OT thread going on and there isn’t a bunch of NU University side stuff going on at the same time. The board isn’t clogged up with the bunch of off topic stuff, it’s just one thread. We can survive a small amount of board bandwidth of that.

 

[NU'06er]

I don’t think it’s that black and white. First, stuff that is related to NU but not really NU sports is of interest around here and deserves some space. There isn’t enough of it to deserve its own “NU Academics” type forum, but it’s not that OT.

Meanwhile, this thread is truly likely completely off topic. There isn’t even a tenuous NU tie in. But it’s correctly labeled as stuff and is the only OT thread going on and there isn’t a bunch of NU University side stuff going on at the same time. The board isn’t clogged up with the bunch of off topic stuff, it’s just one thread. We can survive a small amount of board bandwidth of that.

I think, ultimately, this is probably the best approach.

If it's not devolving into personal attacks or nastiness and isn't eating up too much oxygen from posts that are more on point, let it be. But understand that anything off-topic is subject to the possibility of getting the axe, and if it's indeed becoming a distraction, then shut it down.

 

[stpaulcat]

I don’t think it’s that black and white. First, stuff that is related to NU but not really NU sports is of interest around here and deserves some space. There isn’t enough of it to deserve its own “NU Academics” type forum, but it’s not that OT.

Meanwhile, this thread is truly likely completely off topic. There isn’t even a tenuous NU tie in. But it’s correctly labeled as stuff and is the only OT thread going on and there isn’t a bunch of NU University side stuff going on at the same time. The board isn’t clogged up with the bunch of off topic stuff, it’s just one thread. We can survive a small amount of board bandwidth of that.

Who caps cappin' Cappy? I love cappy, he's doing his job, the current situation goes way beyond his or our control. These are NU sports focused boards. and should be respected as such. However, there are implications for NU, thus OT, such as where do Medill grads find jobs given a trend to suppress journalistic freedom or the effect on funding and freedom of speech for our university if our legislators are no longer elected via free elections. Big picture, much of what is happening now is based on malicious lies and criminal cover-up, which have implications for all of us AND our University. This is unsustainable and understandably needs to be discussed. I believe many of us would appreciate a forum aside from the sports boards, as we have a common bond and many of us have personal connections. That said, I want to get this posted before Cappy shuts it down. Also, I love HJ and bless him for his attempts to get me and others to see the light that shines down on him from somewhere.

 

[stpaulcat]

Anyone who wants to visit St. Paul, I'll take you to a Latino restaurant for a taste of local cuisine. Bring a whistle.

Anger is amorphous even if directed toward a specific subject or object. We often don't know where it comes from or even what it is actually directed against.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Who caps cappin' Cappy? I love cappy, he's doing his job, the current situation goes way beyond his or our control. These are NU sports focused boards. and should be respected as such. However, there are implications for NU, thus OT, such as where do Medill grads find jobs given a trend to suppress journalistic freedom or the effect on funding and freedom of speech for our university if our legislators are no longer elected via free elections. Big picture, much of what is happening now is based on malicious lies and criminal cover-up, which have implications for all of us AND our University. This is unsustainable and understandably needs to be discussed. I believe many of us would appreciate a forum aside from the sports boards, as we have a common bond and many of us have personal connections. That said, I want to get this posted before Cappy shuts it down. Also, I love HJ and bless him for his attempts to get me and others to see the light that shines down on him from somewhere.

How is this a government concern? No person ( Bezos in this case) should be expected to finance a business that loses $100M a year. Here’s an idea, produce enough material that people want to consume and are willing to pay for. It’s capitalism at work and bail outs whether private or public shouldn’t be expected for failing entities.

 

[NU Houston]

Dear lord.... no thank you. That's not what I'm looking for at all. Strangers yelling at each over about things they probably don't even fully understand. I liked our board because it was mostly intelligent people who already had a rapport from the other boards who could gently discuss and learn from each other. (I know it didn't always work that way, but it happened a lot more that what I expect happens on that awful board you shared. I'm still laughing about your post!)

This. RIP, Rant Board.

 

[techtim72]

I will try to say this as PC as I can in the spirit of the comments here. WaPo is near and dear to my heart. I became a customer in 1972 buying the paper on street corners going to work on construction of the Washington Metro Center subway station. At that time two now very famous reporters were dropping stories every few days about the happenings at Watergate. I stayed loyal from then on even during the past decade plus of IMO very trying journalism.

The thing is WaPo could/can write absolutely brilliant pieces, deeply researched. It had the ability and funding to investigate issues, something which is almost non-existent now.

I said this earlier but IMO WaPo, a little over a decade ago, decided which customers they valued and which soon to be ex-customers they didn't value. They did this through an unrelenting focus on race, gender and the environment initially and then ultimately joining in the constant focus on all things Trump. It wasn't just the occasional article revealing issues, rather it became a preachy and highly critical ideology embodied in every section and article of the paper. I think this direction was determined more by a unionized and powerful newsroom than by management. I also think something changed fundamentally in journalism where reporters weren't content to not be full time participants in shaping behaviors. The newsroom was more interested in instructing their customers than they were in retaining and growing their numbers. Everyone now focuses on Trump and left/right politics, but, as an example, WaPo for a long period found environmental issues in every article even if it was about baking cookies. This approach at best subtly ignored and minimized a large portion of their customer base and at worse directly criticized their behavior. It didn't take long for all those customers to get the message that they weren't valued and decided to find how to bake cookies elsewhere.

In the end they whittled their customer base down to those who were largely sympathetic to their newsroom's beliefs. The issue then became that this base proved to be highly critical and purists relative to following the approved company line. As WaPo became less focused on race, gender and the environment after these issues had had their time in the barrel they then became almost exclusively focused on Trump. At that point WaPo's biggest critic wasn't the right but their self-selected base. WaPo in effect had decided what customers they wanted and those customers ended up stabbing them in the back by cancelling their subscriptions.

It has been a journey.

 

[stpaulcat]

How is this a government concern? No person ( Bezos in this case) should be expected to finance a business that loses $100M a year. Here’s an idea, produce enough material that people want to consume and are willing to pay for. It’s capitalism at work and bail outs whether private or public shouldn’t be expected for failing entities.

Okay, here we go....Cappy, get ready. What does this have to do with government? Bezos contributed $1 million to Trump's Inauguration. Why would he do that other than to curry favor with trump (it's clear and definitively documented that trump is in government to take money for favors, at taxpayers expense). So, why is Bezos now apparently decimating WAPO (Opinion page was dismantled early on), more favors?--appears plausible. Bezos is a master at creating efficient, profitable businesses, so maybe that's what he is trying to do with WAPO? Why the opinion page, why many other significant reporters and writers? Is sports removed as a diversion, from other changes? This makes no sense that Besos bought WAPO to save it, why would he even buy it if it were losing money?. Would WAPO have survived without Bezos? This is not about capitalism and free markets, it is about currying favor with a corrupt President. To return WAPO to profitably or to drive it into the ground, so as to gather more favor from trump? That is the question you seem to be ignoring. What does this have to do with government? It has to do with a demented and dangerously corrupt government.

 

[CatManTrue]

A conservative rag dies from lack of readership, and no one cries (including me. I believe in the law of the competitive jungle). But WAPO cuts back after years of red ink, and it's a crime against humanity. Go figure.

Not a crime, just a waste. We need more independent reporting than ever.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Okay, here we go....Cappy, get ready. What does this have to do with government? Bezos contributed $1 million to Trump's Inauguration. Why would he do that other than to curry favor with trump (it's clear and definitively documented that trump is in government to take money for favors, at taxpayers expense). So, why is Bezos now apparently decimating WAPO (Opinion page was dismantled early on), more favors?--appears plausible. Bezos is a master at creating efficient, profitable businesses, so maybe that's what he is trying to do with WAPO? Why the opinion page, why many other significant reporters and writers? Is sports removed as a diversion, from other changes? This makes no sense that Besos bought WAPO to save it, why would he even buy it if it were losing money?. Would WAPO have survived without Bezos? This is not about capitalism and free markets, it is about currying favor with a corrupt President. To return WAPO to profitably or to drive it into the ground, so as to gather more favor from trump? That is the question you seem to be ignoring. What does this have to do with government? It has to do with a demented and dangerously corrupt government.

Your conspiracy theories don’t interest me.

 

[techtim72]

Okay, here we go....Cappy, get ready. What does this have to do with government? Bezos contributed $1 million to Trump's Inauguration. Why would he do that other than to curry favor with trump (it's clear and definitively documented that trump is in government to take money for favors, at taxpayers expense). So, why is Bezos now apparently decimating WAPO (Opinion page was dismantled early on), more favors?--appears plausible. Bezos is a master at creating efficient, profitable businesses, so maybe that's what he is trying to do with WAPO? Why the opinion page, why many other significant reporters and writers? Is sports removed as a diversion, from other changes? This makes no sense that Besos bought WAPO to save it, why would he even buy it if it were losing money?. Would WAPO have survived without Bezos? This is not about capitalism and free markets, it is about currying favor with a corrupt President. To return WAPO to profitably or to drive it into the ground, so as to gather more favor from trump? That is the question you seem to be ignoring. What does this have to do with government? It has to do with a demented and dangerously corrupt government.

To be clear, WaPo still publishes opinions, it is just that they "rebalanced" and retired some of their oldest and longest serving contributors. The Editorial Section has different guidelines on what it focuses on and frankly, intellectually, has taken a step back. At times it seems to be written by a high school staff or perhaps Bezos.

Bezos contributes to both Democrats and Republicans which for someone in his position is common, smart and completely the norm in DC politics.

The last two rounds of layoffs have largely been attributable to massive cancellation of subscriptions following two events. One was Bezos saying WaPo would not endorse a presidential candidate in 2024. The second event was when Bezos brought in the new managing editors from Murdock's London paper (2023?) in an effort to align the product to grow subscribers. Unfortunately, at least concerning those two events, the subscriber base had gravitated towards a very purist perspective that was highly critical of any articles or actions that didn't align with progressive beliefs and they reacted by cancelling their subscriptions.

Many would argue as I have that if anyone should raise their hand as being complicit in the demise of WaPo it should be the highly unionized and singularly ideologically aligned newsroom.

Bezos bought WaPo in 2013. He spent many years pumping money into them and from all appearances gave management free rein. I don't recall when he started pulling back the reins but I am going to say perhaps four years ago. In the interim he lost a whole lot of money.

 

[Hungry Jack]

To be clear, WaPo still publishes opinions, it is just that they "rebalanced" and retired some of their oldest and longest serving contributors. The Editorial Section has different guidelines on what it focuses on and frankly, intellectually, has taken a step back. At times it seems to be written by a high school staff or perhaps Bezos.

Bezos contributes to both Democrats and Republicans which for someone in his position is common, smart and completely the norm in DC politics.

The last two rounds of layoffs have largely been attributable to massive cancellation of subscriptions following two events. One was Bezos saying WaPo would not endorse a presidential candidate in 2024. The second event was when Bezos brought in the new managing editors from Murdock's London paper (2023?) in an effort to align the product to grow subscribers. Unfortunately, at least concerning those two events, the subscriber base had gravitated towards a very purist perspective that was highly critical of any articles or actions that didn't align with progressive beliefs and they reacted by cancelling their subscriptions.

Many would argue as I have that if anyone should raise their hand as being complicit in the demise of WaPo it should be the highly unionized and singularly ideologically aligned newsroom.

Bezos bought WaPo in 2013. He spent many years pumping money into them and from all appearances gave management free rein. I don't recall when he started pulling back the reins but I am going to say perhaps four years ago. In the interim he lost a whole lot of money.

In this age of journalism, it is impossible to separate your brand from your editorial content. In any business, it takes years and money to establish a powerful brand, but you can destroy it overnight. Repositioning the editorial brand of the WAPO was a risky proposition under the best of circumstances.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Not a crime, just a waste. We need more independent reporting than ever.

Don’t disagree, but I wonder if reporting is perceived as having value without editorial content to package it. The world of news publishing seems to have gone this way.

 

[stpaulcat]

Your conspiracy theories don’t interest me.

These are anything but conspiracy theories. Happening in real time before our own eyes. Murders in Minneapolis are not theories, they are real, and criminal and instigated by trump. Answer the question at hand instead of falsifying with accusations about conspiracy theories.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

In this age of journalism, it is impossible to separate your brand from your editorial content. In any business, it takes years and money to establish a powerful brand, but you can destroy it overnight. Repositioning the editorial brand of the WAPO was a risky proposition under the best of circumstances.

The idea of major newspapers still having robust editorial functions is beyond hilarious and bizzaire to me. In a world where we are absolutely swimming in opinions and you can find your individual favorite thinker, writer, ir opinion screamer online… we still need a while staff of morons sitting on an editorial board to put out dumb editorials under the byline of a newspaper? There was still anybody who subscribed to the Washington Post who was unsure who to vote for and needed to be told by the newspaper? Like, who on earth possibly cares about these people’s opinions?

 

[Hungry Jack]

The idea of major newspapers still having robust editorial functions is beyond hilarious and bizzaire to me. In a world where we are absolutely swimming in opinions and you can find your individual favorite thinker, writer, ir opinion screamer online… we still need a while staff of morons sitting on an editorial board to put out dumb editorials under the byline of a newspaper? There was still anybody who subscribed to the Washington Post who was unsure who to vote for and needed to be told by the newspaper? Like, who on earth possibly cares about these people’s opinions?

Yes. The market has been utterly splintered into microsegments defined by editorial boundaries. But papers like the WSJ have become a platform for some really interesting writers like Holman Jenkins, Kim Strassel, Jason Riley, etc. These are the reasons why I subscribe. Similarly, The Economist doesn’t feel quite the same since Lexington retired and they hired the editor that was chased out of the NYT after the Tom Cotton meltdowns by its millennial staff.

Point being “news” is not really a value driver. It’s opinion.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Yes. The market has been utterly splintered into microsegments defined by editorial boundaries. But papers like the WSJ have become a platform for some really interesting writers like Holman Jenkins, Kim Strassel, Jason Riley, etc. These are the reasons why I subscribe. Similarly, The Economist doesn’t feel quite the same since Lexington retired and they hired the editor that was chased out of the NYT after the Tom Cotton meltdowns by its millennial staff.

Point being “news” is not really a value driver. It’s opinion.

Columnists who represent those usual opinions make some sense to me. Those are the thinkers and writers I was talking about. The idea of an editorial board getting together and doing endorsements and interviews and being otherwise involved in the paper behind writing their column and such as a group is beyond bizzaire to me.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

These are anything but conspiracy theories. Happening in real time before our own eyes. Murders in Minneapolis are not theories, they are real, and criminal and instigated by trump. Answer the question at hand instead of falsifying with accusations about conspiracy theories.

This is why these OT posts get capped. You already posted not once but twice with statements that you know this will get capped, yet here we are.

I don’t need to answer any question, because TechTim already explained a few times what is going on here, most recently in post 72. Implying Bezos moves at WAPO are designed to stifle any freedoms of speech at the direction of Trump is ridiculous and borderline paranoid. Reports are the vast majority of the cuts were to the Sports department and foreign correspondents.

We are discussing WAPO, so I don’t know what Murders in Minneapolis have to do with the demise of WAPO, but I guess you can connect any two events in the world if you try hard enough.

 

[Hungry Jack]

These are anything but conspiracy theories. Happening in real time before our own eyes. Murders in Minneapolis are not theories, they are real, and criminal and instigated by trump. Answer the question at hand instead of falsifying with accusations about conspiracy theories.

What’s the question? Where’s Waldo?