Over 200,000 subscribers flee 'Washington Post' after Bezos blocks Harris endorsement

[riversedge]

Source: npr


October 28, 20243:27 PM ET David Folkenflik


The Washington Post has been rocked by a tidal wave of cancellations from digital subscribers and a series of resignations from columnists, as the paper grapples with the fallout of owner Jeff Bezos’s decision to block an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

More than 200,000 people had canceled their digital subscriptions by midday Monday, according to two people at the paper with knowledge of internal matters. Not all cancellations take effect immediately. Still, the figure represents about 8% of the paper’s paid circulation of 2.5 million subscribers, which includes print as well. The number of cancellations continued to grow Monday afternoon.



Read more: https://www.npr.org/2024/10/28/nx-s1-5168416/washington-post-bezos-endorsement-president-cancellations-resignations

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Good news. Hope more follow these cancellations.

Link to tweet

Owner Jeff Bezos blocked The Washington Post from endorsing a presidential candidate less than two weeks before Election Day. The editorial board had drafted an endorsement for Kamala Harris.
Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Invision

[spooky3]

1. So much for "delighting the customers", eh, Jeff? Nt

[maxsolomon]

2. Its worth it not to offend the Autocrat

Last edited Mon Oct 28, 2024, 05:31 PM - Edit history (1)

Bezos doesn't need your money; he WANTS favor from the Regime. Blue Origin needs contracts, Amazon still wants to bring in Chinese crap.

[keithbvadu2]

3. Ironic how a non-endorsement causes more uproar than a 'wrong' endorsement.

The non-endorsement emphasized it even more.

[InstantGratification]

5. Not merely an non-endorsement

An endorsement had been drafted. That was nixed by Bezos. Then after the non-endorsement was announced, Bezos' people at his Blue Origin rocket company met with Trump staff. Wanna guess how likely it is that they discussed government launch contracts? This after it was widely rumored that Amazon's AWS web services division lost a large gov contract because Trump pulled the plug on it over WaPo reporting. This is pure cowardice on the part of Bezos and another display of Trump's authoritarian fascism.

[FakeNoose]

10. None of this matters because Chump is going to lose next week

After the election is over and everyone has settled down, Jeff Bezos will still be an asshole.
I won't forget this, will you? Will anybody?

[InstantGratification]

14. No, I won't forget

As long as Bezos owns the paper, I won't consider resubscribing. Until he publicly acknowledges this mistake and takes his thumb off the scales and allows editorial freedom, he has no chance of seeing any of my money. I doubt even then, he has shown that his personal wants are more important to him than journalism, he muzzled the editors once, he'll do it again.

[FakeNoose]

16. Well said ...

He should really just back out of ownership, or at least walk away from any attempt to manage it.

[travelingthrulife]

34. These tech bros are the most cowardly overlords imaginable.

They have all the money and power in the world and they are cowering in fear of the 78 year old monster THEY created.

[aggiesal]

12. That's because Bezo's forgot to take his Irony Deficient tablets that morning! n/t

[Skittles]

24. that's because repukes don't live in the real world

fucking assholes

[central scrutinizer]

4. 200,000 have just volunteered for reeducation camp

Work in the fields or die.

[InstantGratification]

6. Count me as one of them.

Ciao Jeffery, to WaPo and Amazon.

[orangecrush]

26. Same

[NCjack]

32. me 2

[aggiesal]

7. I was looking for this number. Is this official or just some guesstimate? ...

The story I posted last week, mentioned that 20,000 was a lot and this is 10X, so WaPo must be in serious panic mode.

[James48]

8. I'm trying to figure out how to cancel so they know why.

[InstantGratification]

11. When I cancelled there was a pull down menu with a list of choices but no option to type your own response

[aggiesal]

13. I went to the comment section of the initial story ...

And entered my displeasure at Bezos's decision.

Lots of subscription cancellations in the Comment Section.

[fargone]

23. I encountered that multiple choice also

None really fit so I selected 'other'. I wanted something much stronger.

[Old Crank]

30. Send a letter to the editor

Explaining why.

[FakeNoose]

9. Jeff Bezos will still be an asshole, even after Kamala wins next week

[Marthe48]

15. I checked today and Etsy offers gift certificates for their site

so I'll cancel my prime account with amazon.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. I will be cancelling my subscription

[Gaugamela]

18. At $120/ year subscription cost, that's a $24,000,000/year loss in revenue.

[LauraInLA]

21. It's probably not quite that much, considering you can still get a year-long subscription for $29.

[wysi]

19. Excellent!

Hit him where it hurts, hard.

[BattleRow]

20. Wonder how many Latinos will say adios to Amazon?

[mdbl]

22. Still boycotting Amazon

at least until next year, possibly longer.

[orangecrush]

25. Holy shit

[Joinfortmill]

27. He's a spoiled little dick

[walkingman]

28. After listening to Martin Baron, former editor at WaPo, I have changed my mind.

I think that those who stopped their subscriptions (rumored to be 200K) should renew next week. Their message was heard loud and clear but we need the Washington Post needs to continue it's great work in protecting our Democracy. There are very few newspapers that have the ability to hold those in power accountable.

That in no way excuses Jeff Bezos for his cowardly actions.

[BootinUp]

31. Can't ever trust Bezos again, period. nt

[FakeNoose]

35. WaPo has already laid off tons of employees this year

After this mass cancellation of subscriptions - mostly Democrats I would guess - they'll probably lay off many more.

Will Jeff Bezos accept any blame? Of course not. His Christmas bonus and other benefits will be secure, while others suffer for his asshole-ness.

[Old Crank]

29. Neville Chamberlain moment

For these billionaire tech bros.
Looks like they have failed.

[raccoon]

33. Great news! It made my day. I hope there are more cancellations of subscriptions.