More than 200,000 Washington Post digital subscribers had canceled by midday October 28, 2024, after the paper announced it would not endorse a presidential candidate. A follow-up report the next day put the gross cancellation count at at least 250,000. Neither figure establishes the paper’s lasting net subscriber loss.
How many subscribers canceled?
The early figure was more than 200,000 digital cancellations by midday Monday, October 28, reported by Forbes citing NPR. That account described the total as about 8% of the Post’s paid circulation—not 8% of its digital subscribers—and said cancellations were still rising that afternoon. Forbes, citing NPR.
On October 29, The Washington Post reported at least 250,000 cancellations through Tuesday, or about 10% of its digital subscriber base. The paper based the count on internal documents and two people familiar with the figures who were not named; it declined to comment on subscriber numbers. The Washington Post’s October 29 report.
| Reported snapshot | Cancellation figure | Reported share and denominator | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midday October 28, 2024 | More than 200,000 digital cancellations | About 8% of paid circulation | Forbes, citing NPR; the count was still rising that afternoon. |
| Through October 29, 2024 | At least 250,000 cancellations | About 10% of digital subscribers | The Washington Post, citing internal documents and two unnamed people familiar with the figures. |
The percentages use different denominators, so they are not interchangeable. The later figure is a reported count, not a publicly audited subscriber disclosure.
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Why the cancellation total is not the net subscriber loss
The 250,000 figure counts reported cancellations; it does not show how many subscribers the Post ultimately lost. It did not subtract new sign-ups or account for people who later re-subscribed. Some annual subscribers also kept access until their subscriptions expired. The reporting therefore does not establish a final net change in subscribers, revenue lost, or the longer-term financial effect.
The Post said its digital subscriber count peaked at 3 million in January 2021 and stood at about 2.5 million in October 2024. Those figures provide context for the reported cancellation share, but they do not turn the cancellation count into a measure of net decline. The paper is privately held and does not typically disclose subscriber data. The Washington Post’s October 29 report.
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What prompted the cancellations?
On October 25, publisher and CEO William Lewis announced that the Post would not endorse a presidential candidate in that election or future presidential elections. The Post reported that an endorsement draft backing Kamala Harris had been prepared but not published, and attributed the decision to owner Jeff Bezos, citing four people briefed on it who spoke anonymously. Lewis made the public announcement; the reported attribution to Bezos is not the same as a public announcement by Bezos. The Washington Post’s October 25 account.
The Post said its opinion staff is structurally separate from its newsroom. That organizational distinction is relevant, but it does not by itself settle concerns readers and staff raised about ownership influence.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesHow Bezos and the Post defended the policy
Bezos argued that endorsements do not sway elections and can make a publication appear biased. In an opinion piece published October 28, he wrote, “Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election,” and said endorsements “create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence.” He called the decision principled, said it was intended to restore public trust, and expressed regret about its timing so close to Election Day. Bezos’s October 28 opinion piece.
Lewis described the policy as a return to the paper’s roots. The Associated Press reported his stated rationale as faith in readers’ ability to make up their own minds. The Associated Press’s October 25 report.
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Critics challenged both the decision and its timing. Former executive editor Martin Baron called it “cowardice” and said history would mark “a disturbing chapter of spinelessness at an institution famed for courage,” according to the Post. Those are Baron’s judgments, not established evidence of Bezos’s motive. The Washington Post’s October 25 account.
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