Layoffs at The Washington Post gut an innovative newsroom
On Wednesday, The Washington Post laid off more than 300 of about 800 journalists in their newsroom. And while much of the coverage has focused on the elimination of the sports and books departments, the design and data visualization teams were also gutted. Those cuts didn’t just damage a storied institution, they dealt a body blow to the kind of innovative visual journalism that’s been driving engagement with new audiences.
Below are behind-the-scenes looks at projects from the Post featured in Storybench and interviews with the journalists who created them, some of whom were laid off this week. You can see the Post’s favorite visual journalism from 2025 here.
“AI is transforming music faster than we think.” The Washington Post’s Yan Wu explores the intersection of AI and creativity.
How The Washington Post uncovered the sources that make AI chatbots sound so smart
“Useful, beautiful and innovative.” How the Washington Post’s Harry Stevens reaches high engagement on climate and environment reporting
How The Washington Post turned a year-long investigation into a graphic novel
The Washington Post’s map shows the average number of pills distributed per person in every county.
Opioid pill flood: How The Washington Post presents the American drug crisis
Donate to a GoFundMe layoff fund overseen by members of The Washington Post News Guild.
