In a significant restructuring move, The Washington Post initiated substantial workforce reductions on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, that will eliminate its entire sports division and reduce its international operations. Executive Editor Matt Murray announced the cuts during an 8:30 a.m. ET company-wide briefing, confirming the complete closure of the sports department while maintaining politics and government coverage as the newspaper’s central focus.
The decision comes amidst ongoing financial challenges that have plagued the 145-year-old publication. The Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, reported approximately $100 million in losses during 2023, prompting previous cost-cutting measures including voluntary separation packages offered across all departments.
This restructuring follows the newspaper’s recent scaling back of coverage for the 2026 Winter Olympics, reflecting broader industry struggles. The digital revolution has fundamentally disrupted traditional journalism economics, causing digital advertising rates to plummet and shifting audience trust toward independent content creators.
The Post’s White House correspondence team recently expressed concerns to Bezos in a January 29 letter, emphasizing that their most impactful reporting depends on collaboration with teams now facing elimination. They stressed that maintaining a diversified newsroom remains crucial despite financial pressures.
These layoffs represent the latest chapter in the ongoing transformation of legacy media organizations attempting to establish sustainable business models in the digital era. The Washington Post joins numerous other news outlets grappling with similar economic challenges as reader habits and revenue streams continue to evolve.