Tonight we learned a little more about how Amazon founder and new Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos does business. Millions of dollars to develop drones that may someday be able to drop off packages without maiming people? Sure. Millions to launch a new website at the Post and keep one of the paper’s most recognizable names? No can do. The New York Times reports that Bezos and Katherine Weymouth, the Post’s publisher, recently rejected a proposal from Ezra Klein, editor of the paper’s Wonkblog, to create a site “dedicated to explanatory journalism on a wide range of topics beyond political policy.” As a result, sources say Klein is planning to leave the Post.
The Huffington Post reported last month that Klein was considering a new media venture, and according to the Times, he gave his bosses “a proposal with detailed revenue projections” to create a separate media site that would have been affiliated with the Post. He reportedly asked for an investment “in eight figures.”
Since the plan was rejected, Klein has been talking with other potential investors about starting the site on his own (it’s unclear how this would affect his other work as an MSNBC analyst and Bloomberg View columnist). Though, Klein may be willing to stay on at the Post “if talks about his plans were rekindled.” Sounds like Bezos has one last chance to decide if keeping Klein is worth dumping another $10 million into the paper he just bought for $250 million.
