Reader backlash against decision not to make presidential endorsement rolls on despite Bezos defense of decision

Deterioration of the Washington Post’s subscriber base continued on Tuesday, hours after its proprietor, Jeff Bezos, defended the decision to forgo formally endorsing a presidential candidate as part of an effort to restore trust in the media.

The publication has now shed 250,000 subscribers, or 10% of the 2.5 million customers it had before the decision was made public on Friday, according to the NPR reporter David Folkenflik.

A day earlier, 200,000 had left according to the same outlet.

The numbers are based on the number of cancellation emails that have been sent out, according to a source at the paper, though the subscriber dashboard is no longer viewable to employees.

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    • @AbouBenAdhemEnglish
      12•2 months ago

      I don’t think it was the question, I think it was this:

      Journalism should not be endorsing a candidate

      Which sounds like it’s arguing against freedom of the press.

    • Billiam
      1•2 months ago

      Nothing about it comes across as respectful. They openly admit they haven’t been following the story and don’t have context, and then put out an opinion on the story when all the facts and context they needed were in the story this post is linking to.

      The fact that that opinion was essentially regurgitating Bezos’ talking point just makes it worse.