The Washington Post has reportedly lost over 250,000 subscribers since announcing last Friday that it would not endorse a candidate for president. This figure represents around 10 percent of its digital audience, according to the newspaper’s report on Wednesday. While the Post did not officially confirm these numbers, citing its private company status, the information came from sources within the newspaper and documents reviewed by the media.
Additionally, the Los Angeles Times faced subscriber cancellations following its own non-endorsement announcement, although the impact was significantly less than that experienced by the Post.
Jon Marshall, a journalism historian at Northwestern University, commented that he struggled to think of a similar reaction in the industry. He recalled a notable boycott against the Arkansas Gazette in 1957 when it supported the integration of Little Rock schools, which cost that paper over $20 million in today’s currency.
Jeff Bezos, owner of The Post, explained that presidential endorsements tend to generate a perception of bias and usually have minimal impact on voters’ decisions. He expressed regret about making the decision public so close to Election Day, as reports indicated that the editorial team had prepared an endorsement for Democrat Kamala Harris. Erik Wemple, the Post’s media critic, noted, “A lot of people would have forgotten about the Harris endorsement slated to run in the newspaper. Few will forget about the decision not to publish it.”
Despite the losses, Matt Murray, the executive editor of The Post, mentioned in a staff meeting that there were “several positive days” with new subscriptions, though he did not specify exact figures. Interestingly, some upset subscribers had already paid for a year’s access and will continue to have it until it naturally expires.
Rick Edmonds, a media business analyst at the Poynter Institute, speculated that, after the election concludes, some individuals might reconsider their need for The Post and decide to return. The Post experienced a surge in subscriptions during Donald Trump’s presidency, with many drawn to its thorough coverage, suggesting a potential resurgence if Trump were to regain office.
Currently, however, Edmonds remarked, “it’s very bad,” as The Post suffered a decline in readership during Joe Biden’s administration, despite previously seeing signs of growth before this week.
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David Bauder covers media for the AP. Follow his updates at http://x.com/dbauder.
