The Washington Post loses subscribers Expensive silence

The American TV channel CNBC has published an article on The Washington Post's decision to maintain neutrality in the upcoming US presidential election. Caliber.Az provides an in-depth analysis of the article.

The recent CNBC report covers the Washington Post's internal disruptions and public controversies following its decision not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 US presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. 

Historically endorsing presidential candidates, the Post's deviation from tradition has sparked debates and significant repercussions. The decision reportedly led to an 8% decline in digital subscriptions, equivalent to over 200,000 subscribers, within days of the announcement. 

Additionally, three members of the 10-member editorial board — Molly Roberts, David Hoffman, and Mili Mitra — resigned from the board in protest, though they will continue working at the paper. Their departure mirrors a similar response at the Los Angeles Times, where board members resigned when the paper opted out of endorsing in a previous election.

While Post publisher and CEO Will Lewis publicly stated that the decision to stop presidential endorsements was his own, reports from NPR and internal sources suggest Amazon founder and Post owner Jeff Bezos was involved in the decision. Lewis firmly denied this, clarifying that Bezos neither read nor influenced endorsement drafts. Roberts, however, voiced strong opposition, citing her stance as a resistance against “silence in the face of dictatorship,” making clear that she viewed the non-endorsement as a directive influenced by Bezos. She publicly stated that endorsing Kamala Harris was, in her opinion, a morally unambiguous decision and that failing to endorse ran counter to media's role in opposing Trump.

The article highlights the Washington Post’s attempt to reposition itself as an independent source of information, aimed at supporting readers' own decision-making rather than guiding it. Lewis emphasized this shift, stating that an endorsement-free approach aligns better with journalistic independence. 

In contrast, USA Today also announced its decision not to endorse a candidate, underscoring a focus on local-level endorsements and issues rather than national endorsements. The publication cited the increasing importance of local politics and voter autonomy in shaping America’s future.

This shift at two major newspapers underscores a broader industry-wide reevaluation of endorsements’ role, particularly as media institutions seek to balance traditional editorial stances with readers' desires for unbiased information. By navigating these challenges, major media organizations are adapting to changing expectations and pressures while facing potentially adverse effects on subscriber bases and internal coherence.