The Washington Post

The Washington Post is a daily newspaper publisher and digital news organization founded in 1877 by Stilson Hutchins. Its reporting spans local, national and international affairs, with particular strengths in investigative journalism, politics and government, national security, editorial analysis and multimedia storytelling. It publishes a daily print newspaper alongside digital subscription products, mobile news applications, newsletters, podcasts, video documentaries and news streams.

The publication combines a Washington-centered reporting operation with an international news network. Its coverage includes Maryland and Virginia state government as well as international developments. Breaking-news hubs in Europe and Asia support continuous reporting across time zones, extending the newspaper’s ability to publish live news throughout the day and night.

Journalism and company history

The Post’s investigative history includes publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and reporting on the Watergate scandal during 1972–1974. Under publisher Katharine Graham and executive editor Ben Bradlee, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated political corruption and illicit surveillance associated with Watergate. That reporting helped expose events leading to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

Eugene Meyer purchased the newspaper in 1933, beginning a long period of Meyer-Graham family stewardship. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the newspaper and associated publishing assets to Nash Holdings LLC, the private holding company controlled by Jeff Bezos. The newspaper business remains distinct from Graham Holdings Company, the former parent that retained other businesses after the transaction.

Publishing technology

Alongside its journalism, the Post develops digital publishing technology through its internal Arc XP division. The platform supports content management, subscription paywalls and digital distribution for the newspaper, while also licensing publishing capabilities to external media and commercial customers. This gives the company an enterprise software business alongside its print and digital news products, drawing on technology developed for its own publishing operations.