Employees for The Washington Post appeared angry following an announcement about layoffs during a town hall event.
A video posted to Twitter shows employees expressing their frustration after publisher Fred Ryan shared the news.
“We’re not going to turn the town hall into a grievance session,” Ryan can be heard saying in the video.
One employee replied, “It’s not a grievance session, it’s just questions.”
Another asked, “What are you going to do to protect peoples’ jobs? Are they going to be treated like the magazine staffers were?”
Ryan responded, “We’ll have more information as we move forward. Thank you very much.”
As he turned to walk away, staffers shouted out more questions.
Watch the video below:
The Washington Post, which has lost 500k subscribers in the past year, has announced layoffs are coming to the paper. The meeting didn’t go well. pic.twitter.com/hOoeyI70jj
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 14, 2022
Several Twitter users shared their reaction to the moment.
Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt tweeted, “The woke crybabies reporting at WaPo probably have no idea how businesses work. But when you are in a dying industry, and then abandon journalism and vilify half the country, slashing your customer base … this kinda stuff happens.”
The woke crybabies reporting at WaPo probably have no idea how businesses work. But when you are in a dying industry, and then abandon journalism and vilify half the country, slashing your customer base… this kinda stuff happens https://t.co/KPZg1KPIXy
— Rob Schmitt (@SchmittNYC) December 14, 2022
One user wrote, “Wapo lost 500,000 subscribers the last year and is laying off. Keep pushing the propaganda [Washington Post].”
Wapo lost 500,000 subscribers the last year and is laying off. 😹
— Bad Kitty Unleashed 🦁 (@pepesgrandma) December 14, 2022
Keep pushing the propaganda @washingtonpost 😹😹 https://t.co/I8g81ZJ1p3
Radio host Buck Sexton joked, “Best part of this video is all the libs with masks on.”
Best part of this video is all the libs with masks on 😂 https://t.co/TUjP2QYEO1
— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) December 14, 2022
Check out more reactions below:
What a disaster. Now there won't be enough reporters at the @washingtonpost to not cover the Twitter files showing how much their reporters lied. https://t.co/REaDk9nkUS
— Andrew Klavan (@andrewklavan) December 14, 2022
That moment when you realize you haven't been working at a real organization. https://t.co/W2eXLsTJ43
— Daniel Bostic (@debostic) December 14, 2022
Sad day for fake news. https://t.co/VVMAZ1VbAE
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) December 14, 2022
This is funny! If the @washingtonpost would tell the truth and not just what they want you want to believe, the paper would be thriving. https://t.co/DISynrq8BY
— David Cross (@GAballots) December 14, 2022
https://twitter.com/BonifaceOption/status/1603096963016261634
Ain’t that a shame https://t.co/2xsQzAZ5Cd
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) December 14, 2022
Kathy Baird, chief communications officer at The Post, shared with The Hill the company expects the job cuts “will be a single digit percentage of our employee base, and we will finalize those plans over the coming weeks.”
She added, “The Washington Post is evolving and transforming to put our business in the best position for future growth. We are planning to direct our resources and invest in coverage, products, and people in service of providing high value to our subscribers and new audiences. As a result, a number of positions will be eliminated.”
According to Baird, “This will not be a net reduction in Post headcount. Recently, we have made some of the largest investments in The Post’s history and 2023 will be another year of continued investment.”