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Media Confidential
Marty Baron on the Washington Post’s ‘death spiral’
Season 3, Ep. 46
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In today’s Media Confidential, Alan Rusbridger is joined by Marty Baron, long-time former editor of the Washington Post.
Marty discusses the recent sweeping cuts across the paper—including the decimation of the sports department—and reveals the shocking way one foreign correspondent found out their job was being axed.
He talks about his own relationship with Post owner Jeff Bezos, as well as how the billionaire’s editorial ambitions for the paper may have been influenced by his ties to President Trump. The pair also discuss the reasons behind the controversial decision not to endorse a candidate for the 2025 election, and the subsequent fallout.
And, after more than 300 staff were laid off, Marty and Alan discuss how a newspaper deals with the dreaded “death spiral”. Is this is the beginning of the end for the Post?
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