Washington Post obituary section on life support as writers take buyouts: report

Fox News

2 days ago

The Washington Post continues to lose staff, as all but one of its obituary reporters have accepted the media outlet's buyout offer and left the company, according to a new report.
Politico Magazine senior editor Michael Schaffer detailed how the paper's obit desk has been decimated by The Washington Post's new buyouts – or "Voluntary Separation Program" (VSP).
"I've learned that all but one person on the obit desk has taken the organization's buyout offer, which aims to shed staff by the end of July. The lone holdout is too junior to qualify for the buyout deal," he wrote.
Adam Bernstein, the paper's longtime obit chief, was one of the latest Post staffers to accept the buyout. The journalist announced Tuesday that he would be joining The New York Times as deputy editor of its Obituaries Desk.
Schaffer lamented the exit of Bernstein and other obit writers, stating, "If you care about warts-and-all journalism, the change is a big deal. Unlike beat reporters, full-time obituary writers don't have to worry about whether including unsavory details about the dearly departed will offend the grieving sources they still need to cultivate. Getting rid of them is a recipe for toothless pieces that pull punches about deceased power players."
The Washington Post announced in May that it was rolling out its VSP program to its veteran employees, offering them an option to leave the company in exchange for months of base pay from the company following their departure.
In a staff memo obtained by Fox News Digital at the time, Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray told staff, "Today, we are announcing that The Washington Post is offering a Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) to news employees with 10 or more years' service at The Post, as well as to all members of the video department and to all members of the copy desk and sports copy desk."
According to a VSP document viewed by Fox News Digital, nine months of base pay would be given to staffers employed for 10-15 years, 12 months of base pay for 15-20 years, 15 months of base pay for 20-25 years and 18 months for anyone who has worked at the Post for more than 25 years.
One anonymous Post staffer told Schaffer that the buyouts have caused an "absolute exodus" at the company. The reporter noted some of the recent big name departures, including "longtime political reporter Dan Balz, veteran columnist David von Drehle, and dozens of others."
Additionally, Washington Post columnist and MSNBC show host Jonathan Capehart reportedly accepted a buyout earlier this month and is leaving the Jeff Bezos-owned paper after nearly two decades.
Many Post staffers have quit the paper in recent months, some spurred on by their concerns over the Washington Post's editorial slant taking a rightward shift following President Donald Trump's re-election.
In February, Bezos announced that the editorial section of the paper would be changing course, prompting then-opinion editor David Shipley to leave.
Bezos' changes led to a sharp backlash in his newsroom, with staffers telling Fox News Digital earlier this month that morale has collapsed at the paper.
People at the outlet "'have no idea' how or if they'll replace the expertise, another longtime Postie said. (People I spoke to at the Post asked to remain anonymous to talk about what remains a wrenching and uncertain experience for the organization.)," Schaffer added.
A Washington Post spokesperson declined to give comment to Fox News Digital on "personnel matters" but stated the paper "will continue to have staff-written obituaries."