The Washington Post has sharply reduced its coverage of the technology sector following a wide-ranging round of layoffs that affected more than 300 employees.

The cuts, which significantly downsized teams covering technology, science, health, and business, come at a time when Silicon Valley’s influence on global politics and economics has never been greater.

According to staff accounts, the combined desk covering tech and related beats was reduced from about 80 journalists to just over 30.

The newspaper’s San Francisco bureau has been largely hollowed out, with reporters covering artificial intelligence, Amazon, internet culture, and investigative tech reporting among those laid off.

The layoffs extended well beyond technology reporting. The Post eliminated its sports department, reduced foreign coverage across multiple regions including the Middle East and Eastern Europe, closed its Books section, and dismantled teams covering culture, race, and local Washington, D.C., issues.

Executive Editor Matt Murray framed the cuts as part of a broader effort to reposition the paper for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media environment.

However, the reductions come amid declining subscriptions, falling web traffic, and reported financial losses of roughly $100 million in 2024.

Critics have pointed to the irony of scaling back tech journalism at a time when technology executives wield unprecedented power.

The changes also follow broader trends in media ownership, with billionaire-backed newsrooms facing mounting scrutiny over editorial independence and long-term viability.

Source: Techcrunch