Washington Post begins large-scale layoffs: reports

The job cuts reportedly include eliminating the Washington's Post sports department and reducing the number of journalists it has overseas.

The Washington Post on Wednesday began implementing large-scale job cuts at the newspaper, the Associated Press (AP) and Reuters news agency reported, citing unnamed sources.

According to the AP, the paper's executive editor, Matt Murray, announced the job cuts in a video meeting with staff. 

There had been speculation in recent weeks that the paper was planning layoffs, since the sports staffers who had arranged to cover the Winter Olympics in Italy were told they would not be going.

Responding to the rumors, the Post said it would send a limited staff to Milan. 

The paper has seen a dip in subscribers in recent years, contrary to its longtime competitor, The New York Times, which has doubled its staff over the past decade.

The Washington Post has been owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos since 2013. Before that, it was in the hands of the Meyer-Graham family since 1933.

The publication became world-renowned for its breaking of the Watergate scandal, which led to the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon over illegal activities carried out by the White House.

In its time, the newspaper has won 47 Pulitzer prizes - including six in 2008 alone.

Mote to follow...

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez