What Next | Daily News and Analysis Jimmy Kimmel Got His Job Back. She Didn’t.
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Sep 25, 2025 
Karen Attiah, a former Washington Post columnist known for her advocacy on press freedom, shares her insights on the precarious state of journalism. She discusses the chilling effects of recent firings and the growing threats to media professionals, spotlighting her own dismissal. Karen recounts her experience working with Jamal Khashoggi and the moral dilemmas faced in editorial decisions under Jeff Bezos. She also critiques the observed double standards in permissible rhetoric, highlighting the disconnect between conservative speech and the consequences faced by dissenters.
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Recruiting Jamal Khashoggi
- Karen Attiah recruited Jamal Khashoggi to write for The Washington Post's Global Opinions section.
- He later was murdered in a Saudi consulate, which became a defining and traumatic moment for her career.
Ownership Shaped Opinion Limits
- Jeff Bezos's direction narrowed the Post's opinion remit toward 'personal liberties' and 'free markets.'
- Attiah says that constriction amounted to censorship and narrowed legitimate opinion diversity.
Diversity Declined In Opinion Staff
- Attiah notes diminishing diversity: she became the last Black full-time opinion staffer at the Post.
- She says systematic removal of Black opinion writers harms journalism and the institution's mission.