The daily paper recently announced that it is offering about 240 of its reporters and editors buyouts as it continues to lose subscribers and advertising income. The employees will be offered anywhere between six months and two years of base pay and health insurance, depending on how long they have been at the paper.
Though Don Irvine of Accuracy in Media acknowledges that The Post's liberal bias has been on display for years, he does not think this decision is necessarily a consequence of that. The paper has lost about 15% of its subscriptions and 30% of its audience since 2021. Its ad revenue is down about the same amount, so it is trimming staff.
"That's really more of a business decision," he submits. "It's a tough environment out there for them. There's so much upheaval now."
Irvine says the internet has thrown traditional journalism into chaos, as just about anyone with an X account can report the news – however inaccurately. Meanwhile, Americans have become hyper-partisan, so news outlets have taken to telling them what they want to hear instead of what is.
"That's why you have your loyal Fox News viewers versus your loyal MSNBC or CNN viewers," Irvine explains. "Those networks, those news sources give the people – a certain group people – what they want. But is that what the country needs overall?"
Given the lack of impartial news sources, he advises educated news consumers to spread their nets a bit wider by going to several sources for news, including those with which they disagree.
"If you understand that there's a particular opinion coming from it, at least you have a base to start with," Irvine says.
Elsewhere in the media industry, NPR laid off nearly 10% of its staff this spring, citing a projected revenue shortfall. Other media outlets that announced steep layoffs include Gannett, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, and Vox Media.
