Washington

The Washington Post Is Running Out Of Readers Willing To Pay

Published

7 months ago

June 21, 2025

The Washington Post Is Running Out Of Readers Willing To Pay

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 5: The Washington Post Building at One Franklin Square in Washington, DC. … More (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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I could hardly believe it when I saw The Washington Post’s new average daily paid circulation figure that made the rounds in recent days — a number so low that I first thought it must surely be missing a digit.

97,000.

That figure comes via the Alliance for Audited Media, and it reveals that The Washington Post’s average paid daily circulation has dropped below 100,000 for the first time in 55 years. To put that in perspective: 97,000 is the sort of figure you’d expect to see from a mid-size regional paper like The Minnesota Star Tribune or The Seattle Times. Not from a globally recognized newsroom with a billionaire owner and multiple Pulitzers to its name.

The Washington Post’s vanishing readership

Well, who cares about print anymore anyway, you might think. But there’s a difference between being the most important thing – and simply being important. Print falls in the latter category, because not only does the physical version of a newspaper or magazine still brings in revenue – an outlet’s circulation is also a kind of proxy metric that reflects the strength of a media brand’s connection to its audience.

Five years ago, the Post was selling 250,000 papers a day. On Sundays, it now barely crosses 160,000 (both numbers, again, from the Alliance for Audited Media data). Those numbers suggests that, at a time when trust and relevance are more important than ever for media institutions, the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper seemingly comes up short on both counts – based on the declining number of readers who are willing to pay for it.

What’s more, the timing of this latest data coincides with a new bout of contraction: The Post is also eliminating its Metro section, folding local news coverage into a hybrid that combines Metro, Sports, and Style.

You don’t need a memo to understand what’s happening here.

The Post is shrinking, both physically and in terms of its relevance. Once a D.C. powerhouse with national ambition, it’s now in retreat, dealing with a collapse in readership and constant editorial instability. You could also argue there’s something of a disconnect that remains between the paper’s mission and its audience. As one reader wrote on X, “Local coverage of Virginia is a joke, and Politico, Axios and others eat their lunch” on Capitol Hill reporting. Another noted that the Post tried to become a national rival to The New York Times and failed — abandoning its identity as a regional and D.C. insider paper in the process.

One theory worth considering: The problem may very well be baked into the newspaper’s brand itself.

For all its Pulitzer-winning political journalism and ambitious national coverage, The Washington Post still carries the weight and limitations of, well, its name. My suspicion is that, because of its name, it probably remains too closely associated with Beltway politics, federal institutions, and D.C. power players. That makes it an obvious read for lawmakers and lobbyists, but a tougher sell for someone in, say, Des Moines.

The New York Times has certainly rebranded itself as a national lifestyle enterprise, with features like games and cooking-related content that augment its journalism. But while New York is a hub for media, entertainment, politics, and business, Washington D.C. is kind of a one-note town.

Making matters worse, the Post has been hemorrhaging top talent in recent months, including Metro veterans and key editors. It’s also dealing with sagging newsroom morale and tension surrounding Bezos’s editorial direction. Long story short: The paper is facing a reader crisis, a branding problem, and a leadership challenge all at once. It’s hard to see how the Post pulls itself out of this nosedive – and the circulation numbers suggest it’s running out of time.

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Washington

HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD

Published

16 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD

DE Dawuane Smoot, LB Foyesade Oluokun, TE Brenton Strange, S Eric Murray, and S Antonio Johnson speak with the media after practice on Thursday ahead of the Wild Card Matchup vs. Bills.

0:00 – 2:28 – DE Dawuane Smoot

2:29 – 6:24 – LB Foyesade Oluokun

6:25 – 9:25 – TE Brenton Strange

9:26 – 11:32 – S Eric Murray

11:33 – 13:46 – S Antonio Johnson

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Washington

Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.

Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a U.S. intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.

Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard

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Washington

Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

Published

2 days ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.

The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”

A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”

Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.

The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.

“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.

Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”

“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.

The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.

Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.

The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.

American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”

The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”

CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.

The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.

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