Why the Washington Post job cuts should inspire PR experts to aim high for quality comms
Analysis: Top tier publications and broadcasters are cutting staff and it could mean there are more opportunities to target top quality coverage
The media landscape is changing at pace – and keeping up with the latest developments and moves will give every comms expert an advantage over their rivals. Every week we will take a look at the media business from mainstream and ‘legacy’ media to cutting edge tech and the latest trends and developments – and how you can use that know-how.
The announcement that the Washington Post is laying off 300 journalists – around a third of its newsroom - has been met with a mix of anger and sadness.
The paper that broke the Watergate scandal (All the President’s Men is one of the great films and inspired me to be a hack) and has always been renowned for its coverage of international affairs, politics and arts is journalistic royalty, a true institution.
There’s obviously controversy over the redundancies and critics have demanded billionaire Jeff Bezos reverse the cuts and invest more to protect “quality journalism”. And British chief exec of the Post, Will Lewis, was forced out after coming under fire over a series of editorial decisions.
But the numbers don’t lie. The Washington Post week day sales have dropped below 100,000. It’s losing around $2million a week. Its decision not to endorse a presidential candidate (i.e. Kamala Harris) saw it lose over 200,000 subscribers.
Like every publisher, the Post is desperately trying to bolster its digital offering. Bringing in new, younger readers and viewers and engaging digitally is all that matters for long term success, goes the mantra. Lewis brought in WP Ventures at the Post, focusing on video, audio, newsletters and social engagement with a plan to focus on “personality-driven” creator-style content.
That also has been a tricky journey – not least when the face of the paper’s TikTok and Youtube channel Dave Jorgenson quit last summer. Washington Post YouTube traffic has reportedly plunged since, with Jorgenson’s start-up Local News International now getting more views than the Post.
This isn’t an analysis of where the Post has gone wrong. Like every publisher, it’s a new world and everyone is trying to find new ways to make journalism pay its way.
But for the PR and comms teams that engage with the media, it reiterates many of the key lessons that Steph and I emphasise when we do our media masterclass sessions.
