So much the legacy of Katherine Graham and Ben Bradlee.
On Wednesday, Jeff Bezos, the Wapo’s billionaire owner took control of his paper’s editorial section, ousted its top editor, and proclaimed that henceforth it will only publish opinion pieces that mirror his support for “personal liberties and free markets”.
“We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
As the owner, Bezos has the right to do this; and — on the surface — there is nothing objectionable about focusing on liberty and freedom. I’m certainly in favor of both.
But what does Bezos mean? And why did he do it? And why are Trump, Musk, and the MAGAverse so thrilled about the move?
Inside the newsroom, Bezos’ declaration was met with shock. Columnist Philip Bump spoke for many of his colleagues when he posted:
Marty Baron, the Wapo’s iconic former editor, said he was “sad and disgusted” by the Bezos’ move. “It was only weeks ago that The Post described itself as providing coverage for ‘all of America,’” Baron wrote in his statement. “Now its opinion pages will be open to only some of America, those who think exactly as he does.”
Longtime editor and Pulitzer Prize winner, David Maraniss, also denounced the move: “One pernicious step after another, Bezos encroached on the Post editorial policy. Today he seized it fully. The old Washington Post is gone. I'll never write for it again as long as he's the owner.” Cameron Barr, a former senior managing editor of the Post, also announced he was ending his professional ties with the paper, saying Bezos’ moves were “an unacceptable erosion of its commitment to publishing a healthy diversity of opinion and argument.”
**
To sort all of this out — and to try to get in the mind of Bezos’ fellow-oligarch, Elon Musk, I’m joined by the legendary Kara Swisher, cohost of the Pivot podcast and longtime observer of the fragile egos of the tech bros. And, of course, I ask her: Does she still want to buy the newspaper? LANGUAGE WARNING.
Happy Thursday morning.
Seriously, who are you going to trust? Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg, the truckling execs of the corporate media? Or us?
I know that there are a lot of claims on your time and your pocketbook. But please take a moment to consider supporting us.
To the Contrary is a reader-supported publication. There are no investors. No sugar daddies. No oligarchs. No billionaires. Just me. And the dogs.
You may disagree with me from time to time (and I expect you will, because I’m not promising you a safe space here). But I’ll always try to give it to you straight, sober, sane — with a dash of snark.
To receive new posts — including podcasts and videos— please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. (And I’m immensely grateful for your generous support.)
Some highlights of our conversation
Bezos’ Agenda: Free Markets or Toddler Tantrum?
Do you still want to buy the Washington Post?
Elon Musk’s Megalomania
“In Trump’s Washington, a Moscow-Like Chill Takes Hold”
Today’s must-read piece from Peter Baker (Gift Link):
She asked too many questions that the president didn’t like. She reported too much about criticism of his administration. And so, before long, Yelena Tregubova was pushed out of the Kremlin press pool that covered President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
In the scheme of things, it was a small moment, all but forgotten nearly 25 years later. But it was also a telling one. Mr. Putin did not care for challenges. The rest of the press pool got the message and eventually became what the Kremlin wanted it to be: a collection of compliant reporters who knew to toe the line or else they would pay a price.
The decision by President Trump’s team to handpick which news organizations can participate in the White House press pool that questions him in the Oval Office or travels with him on Air Force One is a step in a direction that no modern American president of either party has ever taken. The White House said it was a privilege, not a right, to have such access, and that it wanted to open space for “new media” outlets, including those that just so happen to support Mr. Trump.
But after the White House’s decision to bar the venerable Associated Press as punishment for its coverage, the message is clear: Any journalist can be expelled from the pool at any time for any reason. There are worse penalties, as Ms. Tregubova would later discover, but in Moscow, at least, her eviction was an early step down a very slippery slope.
Thursday dogs
On any given day, there may be 9-10 deer and several dozen turkeys in our backyard. The dogs (amazingly) never bother them.
Because they have more important things to do…
Share this post