Dismantling of The Washington Post reflects alarming malaise in US journalism

Sir, - The newspaper that once brought down a US president is being dismantled from within, as surmised by Keith Duggan (“The Washington Post’s darkest moment,” US, February 7th). In his article, Duggan aptly describes a growing malaise slowly taking hold of American journalism.

The Post, like a great many other so-called papers of record, only ever sought to seek the truth and report it without fear of political retribution. Its one-time owner, Katharine Graham, took the bold decision to back both her editor and journalists in her decision to publish extracts from the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

Then, as now, a newspaper needs the stewardship of an owner who has its best interests at heart. By extension, that means supporting the people who represent the backbone of any publication with integrity – its journalists.

During one of The Post’s finest hours, executive editor Ben Bradlee said “stand by the boys” in his decision to back his journalists in their reporting of the Watergate scandal. Perhaps Jeff Bezos could learn a thing or two from Bradlee, as right now he needs to stand by The Post more than he ever has done before. – Yours, etc,