(TheRedWire.com) – The Washington Post added a new motto, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” to its website after former President Donald Trump assumed office in 2017. Subscriptions and traffic have fallen significantly subsequent to Trump leaving office on January 20, 2021. Now, like much of the mainstream media, The Washington Post is struggling with its bottom line.
On Wednesday, December 7, The Wall Street Journal reported that The Washington Post had 3 million subscribers when Trump left office. However, it’s currently around 2.5 million for a loss of 500,000 subscribers in slightly less than two years. Additionally, sources told the Journal that the newspaper, which billionaire Jeff Bezos owns, isn’t projected to make a profit in 2022 despite having $600 million in revenues.
The Washington Post has lost 500,000 subscribers since Biden took office in Jan. 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. https://t.co/QRdXHbfYDi
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) December 9, 2022
Recently, the paper cut its Sunday magazine to save money. That may not only be the only cost-saving measure it ends up taking to adjust to its new readership level. Bezos has encouraged his media company to experiment and innovate. He greenlighted the licensed ARC XP, an in-house publishing software tool the company developed into a software business.
Executives say for the product to reach its potential, The Washington Post should spin it off or sell it. The Wall Street Journal reported that Bezos gave his blessing for the software company, which employs 250 people, to explore its options.
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