Ariel Plotnick

Audio editor, showrunning, and producer. Previously @washingtonpost, @wamu @kalw @whyy @ucbsoj.

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

These relationships with young members of our audience apparently weren’t worth it to one of the richest men on Earth.

[Chris Dehghanpoor @chrisd9r]

I've had a gnarly cold the last week so it's been hard for me to collect my thoughts through the haze of meds but — Wednesday was my last day as an investigative reporter for The Washington Post.

I happened to accept an offer last week, so I'll be landing on my feet, but many of my immensely talented colleagues are not as fortunate.

I will be forever grateful to my teammates and editors for taking a chance and hiring an infosec engineer with 0 past reporting experience.

I got to experience firsthand what it's like to work in a big newsroom and it's wild how far public perception is from reality, so I'd like to help set the record straight —

To the people who think the Post is too far left or too far to the center or too far right or too far from your chosen worldview, I've got bad news for you: the newsroom was the most apolitical job I've ever held.

We held power to account. Period.

Not once did I hear anyone bring up personal politics when discussing a story, and I know if anyone did, they would have been met with a healthy dose of side-eye. We cared about only one thing: the truth. If the truth upsets you because it's incongruent with your worldview...good. It should. The truth should illuminate and infuriate. If you're looking to live in the safe confines of an echo chamber that won't hurt your feelings, then there are a few billionaires with hypertuned algorithms that would love for you to spend hours mainlining hopium while you live safely in your bubble.

To those who are still willing to share an objective reality, but think you're sending a message to people like Bezos by canceling your subscriptions — what message do you think you're sending, and to whom? Because I promise you that Jeff was not laying awake at night fretting over the subscriber figures.

But I don't blame readers — most people don't realize that editorial (opinions) and news are completely different sections. They operate independently. Opinions are subjective — the truth is not. A strong newsroom leader would have gotten out in front of all the backlash and helped educate people, helped reassure the public that regardless of the very stupid decisions of a few, there were many more people in the newsroom dedicated to reporting the truth. Instead the newsroom was hung out to dry while Will Lewis was...doing whatever the fuck he's been doing the last few years.

I will never forget my time at The Washington Post. I have never worked harder in my life with people that are so dedicated to what they do, and to ensuring that they do it with the utmost care and attention. Whether or not you read the Post, I promise you that the decimation of that newsroom is a net negative for society and reality.

[Katie Mettler @kemettler]

This is… not true. The newsroom did not get used to a “blank check.” The newsroom has spent the 10 years I’ve been at The Post thinking deeply and obsessively about readership, audience, subscribers and business strategies for the digital age.

The people in charge ignored us.

[C: Drive @CoolAuntClaire]

While mourning The Washington Post, I must give a shout-out to the "Post Reports" podcast. The Post GOT IT RIGHT with its team: Martine Powers, @ElaheIzadi, @maggiepenman, et al. It would behoove ANY podcast company to give them contracts NOW. Are you listening, @pushkinpods?

[Rebecca Theim @RebeccaTheim]

One of the biggest losses of Bezos’ bloodbath at @washingtonpost is the suspension of its “Post Reports” podcast. So sad to go to my podcast app and see no episodes since Feb. 3. You’re in my thoughts @ElaheIzadi, Martine Powers and staff—and everyone at the paper.

[Sonia Rao @misssoniarao]

I was laid off today from The Washington Post. It was an honor to work for almost a decade alongside such thoughtful, talented colleagues. If you’re hiring for arts coverage…hit me up!

[email protected]

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

It takes all of us to make The Washington Post. Every section works together to create this authoritative, entertaining, worldwide news report.

So, @JeffBezos: #SaveThePost.

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

We need your help:

📣 Share our posts on social media
📱 Post your own reasons why you value The Post, tag @JeffBezos and use #SaveThePost
🗞️ Subscribe to The Washington Post

We are appreciative for the outpouring of support. It’s not too late for you to help.

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

Layoffs are not a business strategy.
We have the proof, @JeffBezos. 🧵

#SaveThePost

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

Our foreign correspondents have a message for you, @JeffBezos: Please, #SaveThePost.

[Ariel Plotnick @arielplotnick]

Foreign correspondents do more than report the news. They take you behind the most consequential stories across the globe, making us all more connected. They hold power to account, and risk their lives to show us the world.

#SaveThePost

https://t.co/Evr1zI5GUU

[Lizzie Johnson @lizziejohnsonnn]

Only in the Washington Post:

Newly 18 and unemployed, Vika felt like her life was going nowhere fast. So when a stranger on Telegram offered her cash to make a delivery, she agreed.

Then, she found out it was a bomb. https://t.co/RMrGhY6VFg

[Chico Harlan @chicoharlan]

The Wash Post has had correspondents overseas since MacArthur was in Tokyo, through Saigon and the fall of Berlin Wall. David Remnick, Steve Coll, Stephanie McCrummen, Peter Osnos, Anthony Shadid, @peterbakernyt … and the reporting continues.

[Taylor Telford @taylormtelford]

@JeffBezos once said that cutting as a survival strategy leads to irrelevance and extinction. Washington Post staff agree. Our company has already shrunk by hundreds & further layoffs will devastate the institution that the world needs more than ever. No more cuts. #SaveThePost

[Pranshu Verma @pranshuverma_]

.@JeffBezos, since I came to India early last summer to be the The Post's India bureau chief, one thing was abundantly clear: in India's media ecosystem very few outlets can do accountability reporting without fear of government censure. The Post is one of them. Since August, we showed the ways Indian billionaires got treated far better than others; the role of Indian conglomerates in fueling Russia's war in Ukraine; India's draconian deportation campaign of Muslims to Bangladesh and stories unpacking the breakdown in diplomatic relations between Washington and New Delhi. We in New Delhi want to keep doing our jobs so The Post readers can understand the South Asia region better — a wish we hope you share. #SaveThePost

[Lizzie Johnson @lizziejohnsonnn]

Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.)

But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil — pen ink freezes — by headlamp.

Despite how difficult this job can be, I am proud to be a foreign correspondent at The Washington Post.

[Alice Li @byaliceli]

Every day my tireless colleagues — from the reporters to the drivers who deliver the newspaper in the middle of a winter storm — perform these daily miracles to get you the truth. The facts.

We need these miracles, now more than ever.

@JeffBezos, please #SaveThePost

[Ariel Plotnick @arielplotnick]

@MattHerdman omg @MattHerdman 😂💕🎙️

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

A statement from the Guild on today's unconscionable layoffs at The Washington Post.

[Washington Post Guild @PostGuild]

Today, we came together to deliver the hundreds of messages we wrote for CEO Will Lewis in company Slack last week. We marched to his office to make sure that he has to see the thoughts, concerns and questions of his employees. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t there.