Washington Post Loses Over 200,000 Subscribers—8% of Base—After Bezos Blocks Harris Endorsement

Oct 28, 2024, 08:37 PM

The Washington Post has reportedly lost over 200,000 digital subscribers—about 8% of its paid circulation of 2.5 million—after owner Jeff Bezos blocked the newspaper's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president. According to two people at the paper cited by NPR, the cancellations occurred by midday Monday, representing a "colossal number" that continues to grow. Not all cancellations take effect immediately, but the unprecedented subscriber loss reflects significant reader backlash. Post journalists say their relatives are among those canceling subscriptions. The fallout has also led to resignations from staff members, including columnists. Prior to this incident, the Washington Post had a net gain of only around 4,000 subscribers for most of 2024.