The Washington Post
American daily newspaper and newspaper of record.
The Washington Post, a daily newspaper based in Washington, D.C., holds the largest circulation in its metropolitan area and is regarded as a U.S. newspaper of record. As of 2023, it counted 130,000 print subscribers and 2.5 million digital subscribers, placing it third among American newspapers behind The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. By 2025, its print subscriber count had fallen below 100,000 for the first time in 55 years. Often called The Post locally, and informally referred to as WaPo or WP, the paper was established in 1877. Its early decades were marked by financial struggles and multiple ownership changes until financier Eugene Meyer purchased it out of bankruptcy in 1933, restoring its health and reputation. Meyer’s successors, his daughter Katharine and son-in-law Phil Graham, continued this revival by acquiring rival publications. The Post’s 1971 publication of the Pentagon Papers helped fuel opposition to the Vietnam War, and its reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the investigation into the Democratic National Committee break-in, which unraveled into the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon’s 1974 resignation. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the paper to Nash Holdings, owned by Jeff Bezos, for $250 million. The newspaper has won 76 Pulitzer Prizes, second only to The New York Times, and its journalists have earned 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards. Known for its U.S. political coverage, it maintains foreign bureaus and international breaking news hubs in London and Seoul. As of 2021, it operated 21 foreign bureaus, including in Baghdad, Beijing, Berlin, Cairo, Jerusalem, London, Moscow, and Tokyo, alongside local bureaus in Maryland and Virginia. In 2009, it closed regional bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York to focus on Washington-based political and local news. The Post does not print an edition for distribution beyond the East Coast, and its newsprint readership is concentrated in Washington, D.C., and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Its average weekday print circulation in March 2023 was 139,232, making it the third-largest newspaper nationally. The paper has its own ZIP Code, 20071, and in 2014 leased the west tower of One Franklin Square in Washington, D.C., as its headquarters.
- founder
- Stilson Hutchins
- field
- Newspaper publishing
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Pentagon Papers publication, Watergate investigation, 76 Pulitzer Prizes
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Format
- Broadsheet
- Owners
- Nash Holdings (Jeff Bezos)
- Founder
- Stilson Hutchins
- Publisher
- Jeff D'Onofrio
- Chief Editor
- Matt Murray
- Staff Writers
- ~500 journalists (2026)
- Founded
- 1877-12-06
- Language
- English
- Headquarters
- One Franklin Square, 1301 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
- Circulation
- 2,500,000 digital subscribers / 87,600 average print circulation
- Issn
- 0190-8286
- Eissn
- 2641-9599
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The newspaper was founded in 1877 by Stilson Hutchins. In its early years, it went through several owners and struggled financially and editorially. In 1933, financier Eugene Meyer purchased it out of bankruptcy for $825,000 and revived its health and reputation. His successors Katharine and Phil Graham, Meyer's daughter and son-in-law, bought out several rival publications and continued this work. The Post's 1971 printing of the Pentagon Papers helped spur opposition to the Vietnam War. Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the investigation into the break-in at the Democratic National Committee, which developed into the Watergate scandal and the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the newspaper to Nash Holdings, a holding company owned by Jeff Bezos, for US$250 million. The newspaper has won 76 Pulitzer Prizes, second only to The New York Times. Washington Post journalists have received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards.
Reader's Guide
The Washington Post is well-known for its political reporting in the U.S. and is one of the few American newspapers that still operate foreign bureaus, with international breaking news hubs in London and Seoul. As of 2021, the newspaper had 21 foreign bureaus including Baghdad, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Dakar, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jerusalem, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Seoul, Tokyo, and Toronto. The newspaper has local bureaus in Maryland and Virginia. In 2009, the newspaper closed three U.S. regional bureaus—in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City—as part of an increased focus on Washington, D.C.–based political stories and local news. The Post does not print an edition for distribution outside the East Coast. In 2009, it ceased publication of its National Weekly Edition due to shrinking circulation. As of March 2023, the Post's average printed weekday circulation was 139,232, making it the third-largest newspaper in the country by circulation. The Post has its own ZIP Code, 20071.
Did You Know?
- The Post was founded in 1877 by Stilson Hutchins and added a Sunday edition in 1880, becoming the city's first newspaper to publish seven days a week.
- In 1889, new owners Frank Hatton and Beriah Wilkins commissioned John Philip Sousa to compose a march for the newspaper's essay contest awards ceremony; Sousa composed 'The Washington Post'.
- A 1902 cartoon in the Post, 'Drawing the Line in Mississippi' by Clifford K. Berryman, inspired the creation of the teddy bear.
- The Post purchased The Washington Union in April 1878, about four months into its own publication, and briefly published as The Washington Post and Union.
- In 1972, the 'Book World' section was introduced with Pulitzer Prize-winning critic William McPherson as its first editor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is The Washington Post considered a newspaper of record?
It earns that distinction through its long-standing commitment to in-depth political coverage, an extensive network of foreign bureaus, and its role as a primary source for official government proceedings. Its 76 Pulitzer Prizes further reinforce its standing in American journalism.
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