U.S. outlet The Washington Post to lay off one-third of staff

[Financial News] The Washington Post (WP), a leading U.S. daily owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, announced on the 4th (local time) that it will lay off one-third of its entire staff.
The cuts are part of a sweeping restructuring that will affect not only the newsroom but every department. Matt Murray, editor-in-chief of WP, told employees in a video meeting that "we will completely eliminate the sports section and the books section." He also said, "We will drastically reduce staff in the foreign desk, which covers international news, and the Metro desk, which reports on the Washington, D.C. area."
The Washington Post has been struggling with serious financial difficulties for years. Chief Executive Officer Will Lewis stated that "The Washington Post recorded a total loss of 177 million dollars in 2022 and 2023 alone," and the deficit is reported to have continued to grow since then.
Reporters on the foreign desk and the White House beat, among others, sent multiple letters to owner Jeff Bezos urging him to "protect the future of the newspaper," but he has not responded.
The Post Guild, WP’s labor union, issued a statement strongly criticizing the management’s decision. It argued that "these layoffs are not inevitable and will hollow out the newsroom, undermining its credibility and influence."
whywani@fnnews.com Reporter Hong Chae-wan Reporter