- Approximately 300 journalists were laid off by The Washington Post during a Zoom call
- Sports writer Sam Fortier documented the layoffs, expressing sadness and anger
- The Washington Post cut one-third of its 800-person newsroom including sports and international bureaus
Hundreds of journalists working with The Washington Post were shown the door in the latest layoffs at the Jeff Bezos-owned legacy newspaper. Among them was journalist Sam Fortier, who shared a video documenting the exact moment he and approximately 300 colleagues were laid off during a Zoom call. Fortier, a staff writer primarily known for his sports coverage, expressed feeling "sad and angry" and stated he wanted to "document a reality of being in journalism today."
In the video, the senior editor on call acknowledged that the situation was incredibly challenging. Addressing the sports team that also faced significant cuts, the editor stated that they had been struggling and adapting to major changes in the way sports news is delivered, shared, and experienced across the industry.
"I am part of the mass layoffs at the Washington Post. I am sad and angry. We all want to keep doing the work. But for now I want to document a reality of being in journalism today," Fortier wrote while sharing the video.
Watch the video here:
Apart from Fortier, other high-profile journalists also shared their experiences, including Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson, who was laid off while reporting from a war zone, and senior international columnist Ishaan Tharoor.
WaPo Layoffs
The Washington Post began widespread layoffs that will drastically shrink the size of the storied newspaper and affect all departments. The cuts affect roughly one-third of the newsroom's 800-person staff. Major closures included the sports section, the daily podcast Post Reports, the books section, and several international bureaus.
Executive Editor Matt Murray described the move as a "painful but necessary" part of a "strategic reset" to adapt to changing user habits and technology.
The layoffs triggered significant backlash on social media, with some users posting screenshots of their cancelled subscriptions in protest. Former editor Martin Baron, condemned the move as "near-instant, self-inflicted brand destruction" by owner Jeff Bezos
Notably, Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million. The Washington Post was long celebrated for its investigative reporting that helped bring down US President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal. The downsizing comes amid growing pressures on US media, including attacks from Trump, who has repeatedly called journalists “fake news” and filed multiple lawsuits over coverage.
