FEAR & GREED | Business News Q+A: Behind the Washington Post's call to axe 300 journalists
Feb 7, 2026
They discuss the Washington Post cutting 300 journalists and the shockwaves across newsrooms. Conversation covers private ownership and opaque finances versus public media models. They debate how editorial directives and endorsement choices can drive subscribers away. The role of product diversification, games and utility features as survival strategies for news businesses is explored.
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Brutal Cuts Across The Post
- The Washington Post cut about 300 journalists, roughly a third of its newsroom, and axed entire sections like sports and some foreign bureaus.
- A reporter in Ukraine was reportedly told they were made redundant while in an active war zone.
Personal Experience With Newsroom Cuts
- Sean Aylmer recalls leading newsroom cuts at Fairfax and feeling the trauma of those decisions.
- He says the cuts were necessary to avoid bankruptcy and were driven by visible revenue and cost pressures.
Two Core Revenue Streams
- Newspapers rely mainly on advertising and subscriptions to survive, with a few smaller revenue streams like events.
- Declining subscriptions or ad revenue quickly force painful cost cuts across newsrooms.