Barnes, Robert, and David A. Fahrenthold. “The Grahams: A Family Synonymous with The Post and with Washington.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 5 Aug. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-grahams-a-family-synonymous-with-the-post-and-with-washington/2013/08/05/94f26d04-fe1a-11e2-96a8-d3b921c0924a_story.html?utm_term=.83e0d269c5cf.
In this article Robert Barnes and David Fahrenthold offer a detailed account of the Graham’s and their deeply interconnected life with the Washington Post. After Eugene Meyer first bought the paper at auction in 1933, he created a dynasty of management that carried on until Katharine Weymouth stepped down in 2013.
This article provided a background for me upon which I could construct an argument of change in the Washington Post’s connection to Washington. When Eugene Meyer purchased the publication he heralded it as a paper devoted to Washington and its vicinity. The Post has since departed from this original intent, even more so under the direction of Jeff Bezos.
Benner, Katie, and Nick Wingfield. “Jeff Bezos, Riding High, Defends Decision to Buy Washington Post.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 May 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/technology/jeff-bezos-riding-high-defends-decision-to-buy-washington-post.html.
In this article Katie Benner and Nick Wingfield give insight as to Jeff Bezos’ decision making process when it came to buying the Washington Post. According to the piece, he believes he can apply the same skills that helped him turn Amazon into a booming global marketplace to help revive the Washington Post.
I used this article as an exhibit because it provides a personal look into Bezos and his plans for the publication. It serves as a “why” for my argument of change in the Post following his purchase of the paper.
Farhi, Paul. “Jeffrey Bezos, Washington Post’s next Owner, Aims for a New ‘Golden Era’ at the Newspaper.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 3 Sept. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jeffrey-bezos-washington-posts-next-owner-aims-for-a-new-golden-era-at-the-newspaper/2013/09/02/30c00b60-13f6-11e3-b182-1b3bb2eb474c_story.html?utm_term=.a11eb47e47ed.
Paul Farhi lays out the changes the Washington Post will undergo as a result of the change in ownership from the Grahams to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon. Overall, Bezos gives the impression that the Washington Post will be a continuing experiment in making news successful again.
This article serves as an argument piece for my analysis because it summarizes the revolution of journalism that Bezos plans to create as the owner of the Post. He questions whether the Post is local or something new- based on the rest of his words, it is leaning towards the latter.
“Katharine Graham.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Graham.
This wikipedia page offers facts and observations about Katherine Graham, perhaps the most prominent member of the Graham family to run the Washington Post. It details her life and how she came into power at the newspaper.
I used this article as a background piece to supplement my analysis. To understand how the Washington Post has changed, I had to create an understanding of what it once was. Katherine Graham was a major actor in its most notable era and was important to include in this.
Moses, Lucia. “How The Washington Post Leapfrogged The New York Times in Web Traffic – Digiday.” Digiday, 21 Dec. 2015, digiday.com/publishers/washington-post-leapfrogged-new-york-times-web-traffic/.
In this article Lucia Moses goes through the different ways in which the Washington Post launched its readership numbers to be in line with that of the New York Times. She focuses on the Post’s technological focus and its use of social media to boost visibility.
I used this source as an exhibit of Jeff Bezos’ impact on the Washington Post in the three short years he has owned the paper. His goal was to make the Post an important digital journalism hub and this article presents a confirmation of his work and the steps it took to get there.
Nakamura, Reid. “Washington Post Nearly Matches New York Times Digital Readership.” The Wrap, 15 Oct. 2015, www.thewrap.com/washington-post-nearly-matches-new-york-times-digital-readership/.
In this article Reid Nakamura makes an important comparison between the Washington Post and the New York Times. According to readership statistics at the time of the article, the Washington Post had essentially closed the digital gap between itself and the New York Times’ online presence.
I used this source as an exhibit because it draws attention to a milestone for the Washington Post. Jeff Bezos came into ownership of the paper with the intention of focusing on its digital presence and the statistics that Nakamura presents show that this was the right direction to take.
O’Connell, Jonathan. “Inside the Wild Ride That Landed The Washington Post on K Street.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, 4 Sept. 2015. Web. 01 Oct. 2016. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2015/09/04/inside-the-wild-ride-that-landed-the-washington-post-on-k-street/>.
Jonathan O’Connell provides a detailed look into the chaotic move of the Washington Post headquarters. After the company was acquired by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, and the land owned by the previous owner was sold off, the newspaper was on a high-stakes hunt for a suitable office space in or around the District. The new building would require enough square footage to comfortably house its employees, a low price tag, and an accessible location. After narrowing down the options, Bezos and the real estate team settled on the K Street location that it occupies today.
I used this piece as an exhibit because it offers an insightful look into the relocation of the Washington Post that my argument can build upon. The Washington Post downsizing to a smaller leased office space and leaving its iconic building behind is a physical symbol of its uprooting.
Peters, Jeremy W. “A Newspaper, and a Legacy, Reordered.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Feb. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/business/media/the-washington-post-recast-for-a-digital-future.html.
Jeremy Peters looks at the sweeping changes being made to the Washington Post in this article. He focuses on the newsroom and people like Katharine Weymouth and Marcus Brauchli who made it run. The piece presents the difficulty the staff has had adjusting to the digitizing publication and how these individuals played their part in the transition.
I used this piece as an exhibit for my analysis because it lays out the transitional process of making the Post stronger online. This was a major step forward in the newspaper; it needed to modernize in the face of the print media’s loss of relevance. The article supports my argument of rapid change in the Post.
“The Washington Post.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 01 Oct. 2016.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Post>.
This wikipedia article offers a detailed look at the history of the Washington Post. It includes information on the newspaper’s founding, the range of its circulation, and how it has changed over time through owners, technology, and political affiliation.
This source provided me with background information to build my analysis off of. I can explain how the paper began and was built through the years to contrast with how it has changed under the ownership of Jeff Bezos.
“Washington Post Co. Timeline.” The Washington Post, WP Company, www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/washington-post-co-timeline/374/.
The Washington Post provides a comprehensive timeline of its past owners and important
events in honor of the company passing to Jeff Bezos of Amazon. It shows everything from the founding and first owner to the sale and take over of the Post by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
This timeline served as a reference for background information.It provides a chronological record of milestones and eras at the Post that I can use to build an argument of change.