More than 60,000 people canceled their Washington Post digital subscriptions after the paper laid off nearly half of its newsroom staff.
According to a report from The New York Times, the cancellations came in the week following major job cuts in February. The Washington Post laid off about 350 reporters out of 800, cutting 44% of its journalists.
Several departments were heavily reduced. The sports and books sections were folded, and the metro desk was scaled back. Many international reporters and editors also lost their jobs.
The paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, supported the cuts as the company faced an annual loss of $100 million. Bezos reportedly became more involved in big decisions over the past two years, though he does not manage daily newsroom operations.
At the lowest subscription price of $40 per year, the 60,000 cancellations could mean at least $2.4 million in lost annual revenue.
Former CEO and publisher Will Lewis resigned just days after the layoffs were announced. Reports say his appearance at a Super Bowl party shortly after the cuts upset staff and became a final breaking point.
The Washington Post has not publicly detailed the long-term impact of the cancellations. However, the sharp drop in subscribers shows how strongly readers reacted to the sweeping changes.
