Has Jeff Bezos brought down the Washington Post?

Has Jeff Bezos brought down the Washington Post?

Author: BBC News February 11, 2026 Duration: 27:37

The paper that contributed to the resignation of President Nixon over Watergate and the Vietnam war is now having to rethink its future. The Washington Post’s owner - Amazon boss Jeff Bezos - has announced mass layoffs at the newspaper, which will fundamentally change how it covers the news.

When Bezos bought the paper in 2013, he reassured staff about a “new golden era for the Washington Post”, and later adopted a new slogan for the Washington Post “Democracy Dies in Darkness”.

Justin and Anthony discuss why the cuts have happened and what the wider impact may be on US media. With Bezos defending the cuts as “the data tells us what is valuable and where to focus", we look at whether the role of money, influence, and closeness to President Trump could also be at play?

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #Americast

This episode was made by Rufus Gray, Grace Reeve and Kris Jalowiecki. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd


Trying to make sense of American politics can feel like navigating a maze. Americast, from BBC News, cuts through the noise with a perspective that’s both grounded and far-reaching. You’ll hear from seasoned correspondents like the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, and presenter Justin Webb, who bring decades of experience to the conversation. This isn’t just a recap of headlines; it’s about understanding the forces shaping the United States, from the granular details observed on the ground to the wider historical and social currents at play. The team delves into everything from election campaigns and policy debates to the complex role of disinformation and social media, offering clarity on the stories that define the nation week to week. Relying on the BBC’s global network of journalists, this podcast provides analysis that connects local events to their international significance. For anyone looking to move beyond the soundbites and gain a more nuanced view of American government and society, tuning into this weekly discussion offers a valuable and authoritative resource.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Americast
Podcast Episodes
Everything you need to know about Donald Trump’s Board of Peace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:40
President Trump described his Board of Peace as “the most consequential international organisation ever.” The Board, which Donald Trump heads in perpetuity, is having its inaugural meeting in Washington, DC, on Thursday…
Will the US Supreme Court stand up to Trump? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:31
Will Donald Trump be legally allowed to proceed with key elements of his second term agenda - such as imposing global trade tariffs, ending birthright citizenship and the right to sack heads of independent agencies? As t…
Is Donald Trump going to cancel the midterm elections? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:31
This week Donald Trump has doubled down on why he thinks power should be taken away from individual states when it comes to running elections. Instead, he says federal government should be running elections - contrary to…
Why are Bill and Hillary Clinton testifying over Epstein? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:08
In one of the biggest US headlines to emerge from the latest Epstein files, former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, have agreed to testify in the congressional investiga…
Americanswers… On 5 Live! Do the new Epstein files "absolve" Trump? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:52
The Department of Justice has said that their review process into files related to Jeffrey Epstein is over, after a new tranche was released on Friday. Donald Trump says the lack of evidence in this batch absolves him of…
Can Trump really save the midterms for the Republicans? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
Can Republicans win the midterm elections and keep control of both houses of Congress? It’s the biggest political event of the year, and this week Donald Trump kicked off the Republican’s campaign in Iowa, telling voters…