The Fall (And Future Rise?) Of The Washington Post

„This is just incredible. Incredible. But it makes sense. It really does. The Post‘s circulation and revenues have been in steep decline for a long time. Something had to give. As a journalist, I’m actually grateful that the Post was bought by a deep-pocketed owner, especially one who knows how to work in the current media environment. Nobody really knows the future of journalism, but I think it’s pretty clear that the Graham family had tried their best and failed. If I worked for the WaPo, I would be frightened for the future, but actually more confident than if the current management held on to it. There will be lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth among professional journalists, but the Post will survive, and that’s the main thing. The story says Bezos will leave current management in place. I can’t believe that’s going to last past a transition period.

It cannot be overstated what a big deal this is in the culture of American journalism. Epochal, I’d say. If you had told me when I graduated from journalism school in 2009 that by 2013, the Philadelphia Inquirer would be on the ropes, and the Graham family would sell the Washington Post, I would have not been able to believe it.

Take a look at this modern (and future) history of journalism and media. Fascinating stuff.”