City Cast DC Jeff Bezos Gutted the Washington Post. What Happens Now?
Feb 5, 2026
Jack Shafer, a veteran media critic with about 40 years covering the Washington Post, reflects on the massive staff cuts at the paper. He walks through which sections were eliminated and the history of newsroom contraction. He discusses how unbundling sections changes value and why reduced metro coverage will weaken local accountability.
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Post's Boom-Bust Ownership Cycle
- The Washington Post has repeatedly contracted and expanded, but Bezos' buy ushered in a costly growth phase that has since reversed.
- Jack Shafer warns the current cuts are dramatic yet echo earlier contractions, though rebuilding is uncertain.
The Lost Newspaper Bundle
- Newspapers historically bundled wide offerings: local news, sports, books, puzzles and more to attract readers and advertisers.
- Shafer notes advertising decline shifted costs to subscribers and weakened the bundle's economics.
Sections Shuttered And Staff Reduced
- Jack Shafer recounts cuts: sports appears eliminated and the book section removed from the Post.
- He also reports substantial newsroom reductions in tech and foreign coverage based on published releases.