The Washington Post
The Washington Post opened its doors in 1877 under the leadership of Stilson Hutchins. This new daily newspaper faced immediate financial instability and editorial challenges during its first few years. In April 1878, just four months after launch, the paper purchased The Washington Union to boost circulation. The combined edition reached a circulation of 13,000 copies by mid-1878 before reverting to the original name. By 1889, Hutchins sold the struggling publication to Frank Hatton and Beriah Wilkins. These new owners sought to promote the paper through cultural means rather than just news content. They commissioned John Philip Sousa to compose a march for their essay contest awards ceremony. That composition became known as The Washington March and remains one of Sousa's best-known works today. The newspaper moved to a building at 14th and E streets NW in 1893 where it operated twenty-four hours per day. During the Spanish-American War, the paper printed Clifford K. Berryman's famous illustration Remember the Maine which served as a battle cry for American sailors. Another Berryman cartoon from 1902 inspired Morris Michtom to create the teddy bear toy. After Wilkins died in 1903 his sons ran the paper briefly before selling it to John Roll McLean in 1905.
Financier Eugene Meyer bought the bankrupt newspaper on the 1st of June 1933 for $825,000 during an auction. He had secretly offered $5 million earlier but was rebuffed by Edward Ned McLean who was mismanaging the company. Meyer bid anonymously and was prepared to go up to $2 million against competitors like William Randolph Hearst. Under Meyer's ownership the Post health and reputation were restored significantly. In 1946 he appointed his son-in-law Philip Graham to succeed him as publisher. Philip Graham later married Katharine Meyer who became the next owner after his death in 1963. Few women had run prominent national newspapers in the United States at that time. Katharine Graham took over officially in 1969 and served until 1979. She took The Washington Post Company public on the 15th of June 1971 offering 1,294,000 shares at $26 per share. By the end of her tenure as CEO in 1991 the stock reached $888 per share. Graham also oversaw diversification purchases including Kaplan Inc for $40 million in 1984. Twenty years later Kaplan accounted for more than 60% of the entire company revenue stream.
The Post strengthened public opposition to the Vietnam War in 1971 when it published the Pentagon Papers. This decision helped spur broader resistance to the conflict. Executive editor Ben Bradlee put the newspaper's resources behind reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. They chipped away at the story behind the 1972 burglary of Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex. Their dogged coverage ultimately played a major role in President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. The paper won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for this investigation. In 1972 the Book World section was introduced with William McPherson as its first editor. It featured critics like Jonathan Yardley and Michael Dirda who established their careers at the Post. The standalone insert was discontinued on the 15th of February 2009 after reader protests. The paper continued to publish book reviews in other sections online and in print. The Washington Post has won the Pulitzer Prize 76 times making it the second most awarded publication after The New York Times. Reporters have received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards.
Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post in August 2013 transferring ownership to Nash Holdings LLC. The former parent company retained assets like Kaplan and TV stations before being renamed Graham Holdings. Bezos appointed Fred Ryan from Politico to serve as publisher and chief executive officer. This signaled an intent to shift focus toward digital platforms with national and global readership. In 2015 the newspaper moved from its owned building at 1150 15th Street to leased space at One Franklin Square on K Street. Since 2014 the Post launched an online personal finance section a blog and a podcast with a retro theme. The paper won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for News and Politics in Social and Web categories. In October 2023 the Post announced cuts of 240 jobs across the organization via voluntary separation packages. Interim CEO Patty Stonesifer admitted projections for traffic subscriptions and advertising growth had been overly optimistic. The paper lost around 500,000 subscribers since late 2020 and faced losses of $100 million in 2023. In May 2024 CEO William Lewis announced plans to embrace artificial intelligence throughout the newsroom.
The Post editorial board has endorsed Democratic candidates in the vast majority of U.S. elections since 1976. Before that year the paper did not regularly make endorsements in presidential races. It endorsed Jimmy Carter in 1976 and has never endorsed a Republican for president in the general election since then. Exceptions occurred in 1988 when it declined to endorse either Michael Dukakis or George H.W. Bush. The board endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. In 2024 the paper controversially announced it would no longer publish presidential endorsements. Eleven days prior to the election CEO William Lewis stated the move returned them to roots of not endorsing candidates. Former executive editor Martin Baron called the decision disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage. More than 250,000 people canceled their subscriptions following the announcement. Editor-at-large Robert Kagan and columnist Michele Norris resigned over the decision. An endorsement of Kamala Harris was subsequently published by humorist Alexandra Petri who noted embarrassment that the actual journalists were out reporting while editors feared power.
In September 1980 a Sunday feature story titled Jimmy's World appeared on the front page written by Janet Cooke. The profile described an eight-year-old heroin addict but was later found to be a complete fabrication. Bob Woodward submitted the story to the Pulitzer Prize Board which awarded Cooke the prize on the 13th of April 1981. The Pulitzer was returned after the truth emerged. In July 2009 publisher Katharine Weymouth planned exclusive dinner parties called salons where lobbyists paid $25,000 per session for access. Politico reported the astonishing offer before Weymouth canceled the events saying they should never have happened. Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli expressed being appalled by the plan suggesting access could be purchased. In 2020 reporter Felicia Sonmez was suspended after posting tweets about Kobe Bryant rape allegations. She sued the Post alleging workplace discrimination but the suit was dismissed in March 2022. Sonmez was fired in June 2022 following a Twitter feud with colleague David Weigel over offensive jokes. The newspaper settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Nick Sandmann in 2020 regarding articles about his confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial. Several op-eds prompted criticism including comments by Richard Cohen on race and a 2014 column by George Will on campus sexual assault.
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Common questions
When did The Washington Post open its doors under Stilson Hutchins?
The Washington Post opened its doors in 1877 under the leadership of Stilson Hutchins. This new daily newspaper faced immediate financial instability and editorial challenges during its first few years.
Who bought The Washington Post on the 1st of June 1933 for $825,000?
Financier Eugene Meyer bought the bankrupt newspaper on the 1st of June 1933 for $825,000 during an auction. He had secretly offered $5 million earlier but was rebuffed by Edward Ned McLean who was mismanaging the company.
What role did Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein play in the resignation of President Richard Nixon?
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein chipped away at the story behind the 1972 burglary of Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex. Their dogged coverage ultimately played a major role in President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.
When did Jeff Bezos purchase The Washington Post and transfer ownership to Nash Holdings LLC?
Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post in August 2013 transferring ownership to Nash Holdings LLC. The former parent company retained assets like Kaplan and TV stations before being renamed Graham Holdings.
Which candidate did The Washington Post endorse in the 1976 election after not regularly making endorsements before that year?
The paper endorsed Jimmy Carter in 1976 and has never endorsed a Republican for president in the general election since then. Before that year the paper did not regularly make endorsements in presidential races.