Bezos declares new ‘golden era’ for Washington Post

In his first interview since buying The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos has said that he wants to help foster a new ‘golden era’ at the newspaper.

The Amazon chief, who surprised the industry last month when he bought The Post for $250 million, said in an interview with the paper that his basic approach to the business will reflect three ‘big ideas’ that he had implemented for Amazon since its start-up in 1995: Put the customer first; invent and be patient.

“If you replace ‘customer’ with ‘reader’, that approach, that point of view, can be successful at The Post, too,” said Bezos.

Bezos was also clear that he would offer a supportive but ultimately hands-off leadership style as well as the full financial support to allow the paper to experiment.

“If we figure out a new golden era at The Post…that will be due to the ingenuity and inventiveness and experimentation of the team at The Post,” he said.

“I’ll be there with advice from a distance. If we solve that problem, I won’t deserve credit for it.”

Bezos is due to visit the office next Tuesday and Wednesday, in which he will meet with The Post’s publisher Katherine Weymouth and top managers of the paper’s business and editorial operations.

The Post reports that during that time it is unlikely that Bezos will make any major decisions or propose any immediate changes.

Commenting on the shock purchase of the The Post, media journalist Raymond Snoddy said: “if Bezos managed to both invent and experiment, eventually the entire newspaper industry might benefit.

“[However,] for now Jeff Bezos is entitled to the benefit of the doubt…that the Amazon executive wants to buy the Washington Post for the right reasons and that he understands what newspapers do.”