Recent layoffs at The Washington Post have sparked controversy, particularly due to reports suggesting that some of the cuts were targeted based on race. Emmanuel Felton, who now considers himself the Post’s “first and last race and ethnicity reporter,” shared that he was among the staff members let go from the newspaper, which he described as “Democracy Dies in the Dark.” He emphasized that his dismissal “was not a financial decision.” Felton mentioned that just six months earlier, he had heard at a conference that coverage on race was positively impacting subscriptions, indicating that this decision was more ideological than economic.
Joining the Post in June 2021 from BuzzFeed News, Felton noted that not only was he fired, but so were the other reporter and editor focused on race-related coverage. He pointed out that a significant portion—90%—of the team covering topics beyond D.C. had been let go.
Neither Felton nor The Washington Post has responded to inquiries for comment. In the aftermath of the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020, various media outlets had shifted towards more race-focused reporting, but many, including the Post, have since reduced or eliminated this coverage, especially with the return of Donald Trump to the political arena.
Similarly, NBC News had to let go about 100 to 150 staff members in October, with some layoffs affecting those in its diversity-focused sectors. NBC’s cultural subsections like NBC BLK and NBC Latino provided perspectives from specific communities but faced cuts during these layoffs.
Meanwhile, CBS News dissolved its race and culture division amid broader layoffs at its parent company, Paramount. The unit was intended to offer fresh perspectives on race coverage but was ultimately disbanded. Following this, some former employees, including one from CBS’ race and culture department, criticized the decision, claiming that the diversity-centric layoffs disproportionately affected Black staff while allowing white colleagues to remain employed.
Notably, in 2024, the Los Angeles Times made significant cuts, impacting about 23% of its workforce. Their Latino-focused section, De Los, was among the areas hit hardest. The Philadelphia Inquirer also faced layoffs, shutting down its community and engagement desk as part of its broader shift in response to operational goals.
Politico recently suspended The Recast, a newsletter dedicated to examining race in politics, and Bloomberg ended its Equality newsletter, although its related coverage continues.
