The American newspaper The Washington Post (WP) has lost more than 200 000 subscribers, and three more members of the editorial board have resigned. This happened after the publicationʼs decision not to support any candidate in the US presidential elections.
This is reported by WP itself and National Public Radio.
According to National Public Radio, mass unsubscribing to WP has already reached about 8% of the newspaperʼs paid circulation of 2.5 million readers.
The paperʼs CEO William Lewis previously said the WP would not support any of the possible heads of state in the November 5 election or any future presidential election. He called it a "return to their roots."
The owner of the publication Jeff Bezos explained in an official statement that thanks to such steps, they want to remain impartial. He expressed the opinion that the support of one of the politicians on the eve of the vote does not affect the race. Instead, it allegedly can shake the trust in the media.
Three employees left the editorial board because of this decision of the management. The same number of people walked off the board of the Los Angeles Times in protest. Two dozen WP columnists published an article calling the new rules a "terrible mistake."
"This is a rejection of the core editorial beliefs of the newspaper we love. An independent newspaper may one day withdraw its support from the president. But we are not talking about a situation in which one of the candidates defends positions that directly threaten the freedom of the media and the values of the Constitution," the authors wrote, alluding to Donald Trump.
- This yearʼs presidential election in the USA will be held on November 5, 2024. Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic Party representative Kamala Harris will compete for the White House.
- Both politicians have already presented their own candidates for the post of vice president. Republican James David Vance consistently opposes aid to Ukraine and says that the country will have to cede some territory for a ceasefire. Democrat Tim Walz is known for his support of Kyiv and sharp criticism of Trump and Vance.
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Author: Anastasiia Mohylevets