The Virginia Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists strongly condemns the decision by The Washington Post’s management to lay off about one-third of its staff, cutting the jobs of many respected journalists and eliminating the newspaper’s sports section, local news and several foreign bureaus as well as the majority of the visual journalism department.
These cuts represent not just a devastating blow to an institution with an irreplaceable legacy in American journalism, but a broader threat to the press’s critical role in informing the public and holding power to account.
Journalism thrives on depth, diversity and on-the-ground reporting. Reducing newsroom capacity undermines our industry’s ability to deliver comprehensive, fact-based reporting to communities here in Virginia, across the nation, and around the world. We stand in solidarity with the journalists affected by these layoffs and call on news leaders to recommit to robust, responsible journalism that serves democracy.
— Statement approved by the SPJVA Board of Directors
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