Ask A Genius 1186: Washington Post Cancellations
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/11/13
*Interview conducted in November, 2024.*
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What’s going on with the Washington Post cancellations?
Rick Rosner: The Washington Post recently chose not to endorse a presidential candidate, which many see as an act of cowardice. Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, and some speculate that he halted the endorsement to avoid potential repercussions if Trump wins. Trump could use his power to retaliate against the Washington Post and Bezos’s other ventures, like Amazon.
Rosner: Trump has targeted companies before during his last presidency. The LA Times also refused to endorse a candidate because its owner leans toward Trump, which is absurd. Both of these papers have endorsed candidates for decades, and now, when there is a clear choice, they’re too afraid to take a stand.
Jacobsen: How did this impact their readership?
Rosner: About 60,000 people out of 2.5 million subscribers canceled their Washington Post subscriptions in protest. That’s approximately 2.5% of their subscriber base, which is substantial. I did the math, looked up their subscriber numbers, and tweeted about the percentage lost. It’s likely even more now as more people continue to cancel. But Bezos might not care since he has $200 billion in assets outside of the Washington Post.
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