The Powers That Be: Daily Allbritton’s WaPo War & Politico Hunger Games
Mar 19, 2026
Dylan Byers, media reporter and commentator who covers Washington media and politics, discusses Robert Allbritton’s push to turn Notice into a Washington Post rival. He breaks down Notice’s hires and Beltway obstacles. He also walks through Jeff Bezos’ uneasy outreach to the WaPo newsroom and Politico’s intense search for a new editor in chief.
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Notice Aims To Be A Post Rival In A Crowded Market
- Notice is Robert Allbritton's new D.C. newsroom aiming to challenge the Post with veteran hires and fellows from his Allbritton Journalism Institute.
- Allbritton is leveraging deep pockets and Politico pedigree but faces a saturated D.C. market already filled by NYT, Politico, Axios, and specialized outlets.
Allbritton Returns To Beltway Media After Politico Sale
- Allbritton's media lineage runs to Joe Allbritton and the old Washington Star, and he previously bankrolled Politico's rise.
- Dylan recounts Allbritton's history: family media roots, funding Politico, then selling it to Axel Springer and now returning to invest in Notice.
Money Can't Buy A Credible Washington Newsroom
- Deep pockets alone won't guarantee relevance in D.C.; spending can't substitute for editorial product-market fit.
- Dylan warns Jimmy Finkelstein's Messenger showed you can't 'spend your way toward relevance' despite buzzy hires.