The Post's greatest moment
Woodward, who in 1972 had only been at The Washington Post for nine months, told his boss he would check it out. Also on deck that day was Carl Bernstein, a reporter who worked local politics. He started working the phones, too. Their work was to become the best-known newspaper investigation in history, bringing down a president and his gang, making the two reporters famous and cementing The Washington Post's reputation as one of the world's great newspapers.
The paper's editor, Ben Bradlee, and its publisher, Katherine Graham, became famous for backing their troops in a long and painstaking investigation of a White House known for its ruthless attacks on "enemies". (As they pursued one Watergate story, Nixon's attorney-general John Mitchell told Bernstein, "Katie Graham's gonna get her tit caught in a big fat wringer if that's published". Mitchell was eventually sentenced to prison, while Nixon was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford.)
In the years that followed, the Post maintained a high-profile national coverage. In 1980 the paper was infamously forced to return a Pulitzer Prize won by reporter Janet Cooke for a story called Jimmy's World, a vivid description of an eight-year-old heroin addict's life that proved to be fiction.
Recently the Post has been struck by the same malaise that has wrought havoc for newspapers globally: a flight of readers and advertisers to online competitors.
Over five rounds of redundancies a newsroom of 900 was reduced to about 550.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The article describes how reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein pursued the Watergate break‑in story, developing what became the best‑known newspaper investigation in history. Their reporting helped bring down a president and raised The Washington Post's profile as a powerful national newspaper.
According to the article, editor Ben Bradlee and publisher Katherine Graham famously backed their reporters through a long, painstaking investigation, even while the White House mounted aggressive attacks on the paper and its staff.
The article notes that John Mitchell, President Nixon's attorney‑general, was eventually sentenced to prison, and that Richard Nixon was later pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford.
Yes. The article recounts that in 1980 the paper was forced to return a Pulitzer Prize awarded to reporter Janet Cooke after her story 'Jimmy's World' — about an eight‑year‑old heroin addict — was revealed to be fabricated.
The article says The Post has been hit by the same malaise affecting newspapers globally: a flight of readers and advertisers to online competitors, which has undermined traditional revenue and audience levels.
The article states that, over five rounds of redundancies, The Post's newsroom staff fell from about 900 to roughly 550.
The article highlights that investigative wins like Watergate cemented The Post's reputation as one of the world's great newspapers. For investors watching media firms, such reputation can be a key asset — while credibility issues or audience losses, as also described, can weaken a media brand's value and reach.
The article presents a mixed picture: historically high‑profile national coverage and a reputation built on landmark investigations, but more recently significant challenges from online competitors, credibility setbacks and substantial newsroom cuts that reflect ongoing industry pressure.
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