Washington Post layoffs: Bezos orders drastic newsroom restructuring as losses top $170 million — Is AI-led cost cutting spreading across media?

Washington Post Layoffs 2026: The Washington Post slashed its Metro staff by 70% this Wednesday. Only 12 reporters remain from a team of 40. Owner Jeff Bezos ordered these deep cuts to offset $177 million in losses. The paper is shuttering its Sports and Books sections immediately. This "strategic reset" shifts focus toward federal politics and national security. It marks a retreat from local reporting. Subscriptions remain stalled well below the 3 million peak.