Washington Post subscribers cancel in droves after Jeff Bezos overhauls opinion page

More than 75,000 digital subscribers have canceled their subscriptions to The Washington Post following an announcement by its owner, Jeff Bezos, that the paper’s opinion section would be revamped to align with libertarian ideals touting “personal liberties” and “free markets,” according to a report.The decision, which Bezos announced on Wednesday, triggered immediate upheaval within the organization, including the resignation of opinions editor David Shipley, who had unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Bezos from the change.A previous mass exodus of subscribers began in late October when Bezos reportedly blocked a planned endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.Between that decision and Election Day, over 300,000 subscribers severed ties with the Post, amounting to more than 12% of its digital subscribers.Despite an aggressive push to attract new subscribers — adding 400,000 at discounted rates — the paper still has suffered a “net loss of a couple hundred thousand” paying subscribers, NPR reported.Many within the newsroom believe that without Bezos’ interventions, the paper’s subscriber base would have remained significantly higher, according to National Public Radio, which first reported the latest round of cancellations.Shipley has not responded to requests for comment.A Washington Post spokesperson declined to comment.Bezos’ move to overhaul the opinions section was the subject of a column by Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple, but the piece was killed by editors, according to a report.The fallout extended beyond the newsroom, as longtime figures associated with the Post voiced their disapproval.Associate editor David Maraniss and former executive editor Marty Baron expressed concerns, with Baron describing the move as “craven.”In an interview with Zeteo News, Baron, who had previously praised Bezos in his 2023 memoir, suggested the billionaire was “basically fearful” of President Trump.The number of ...