The Washington Post is launching a new creator-led newsletter on beehiiv as part of its newly announced “WP Creator” initiative, per Axios.
The newsletter, titled “Verified,” will be authored by former political reporter Dylan Wells and will focus on the Creator Economy and its disruption across industries.
The Post joins a growing roster of legacy publishers on the platform, including Time, Newsweek, TechCrunch, the Texas Tribune, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Magazine, and The Ringer. Beehiiv also hosts independent journalists such as Oliver Darcy, Joanna Stern, and Dave Jorgenson, as well as creators including Colin and Samir, and Josh Richards.
Publishers Shift Toward Owned Distribution
The move follows a broader strategic pivot among publishers toward direct relationships with audiences.
Beehiiv co-founder and CEO Tyler Denk told Axios that traditional website metrics are becoming less relevant. “Website traffic and monthly page views are antiquated metrics, especially in a world where distribution is unreliable,” Denk said. “More publishers are transitioning from anonymous page views to owned subscribers, where you know what they like and what they consume.”
Denk added that the model centers on building a reliable distribution as a foundation for additional revenue streams. “If newsletter is the core, can you build community? Can you build podcasts? Can you build video? Can you do events and merch? None of that is possible if you can’t actually reliably get in front of your audience,” he said.
The Post’s move aligns with findings from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which surveyed 280 digital leaders and found that 76% of publishers plan to encourage journalists to behave more like creators in 2026.
Half of the respondents said they plan to partner with creators for content distribution, while 31% intend to hire creators directly.
The Reuters Institute report also cited the Post’s own prior experience with creator talent as illustrative of the risks publishers face. Following the departure of TikTok personality Dave Jorgenson, engagement on the Post’s Universe YouTube channel declined, while Jorgenson’s independent channel continued to grow, according to data referenced from Rival IQ.
Meanwhile, publishers competing for newsletter audiences are splitting between platforms. While the Post and others have opted for beehiiv, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Financial Times, and The New Yorker are experimenting on Substack.
Time, which hosts 15 newsletters on beehiiv, reported a 63.8% rise in open rates since joining the platform.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
The Washington Post is launching a new creator-led newsletter on beehiiv as part of its newly announced “WP Creator” initiative, per Axios.
The newsletter, titled “Verified,” will be authored by former political reporter Dylan Wells and will focus on the Creator Economy and its disruption across industries.
The Post joins a growing roster of legacy publishers on the platform, including Time, Newsweek, TechCrunch, the Texas Tribune, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Magazine, and The Ringer. Beehiiv also hosts independent journalists such as Oliver Darcy, Joanna Stern, and Dave Jorgenson, as well as creators including Colin and Samir, and Josh Richards.
Publishers Shift Toward Owned Distribution
The move follows a broader strategic pivot among publishers toward direct relationships with audiences.
Beehiiv co-founder and CEO Tyler Denk told Axios that traditional website metrics are becoming less relevant. “Website traffic and monthly page views are antiquated metrics, especially in a world where distribution is unreliable,” Denk said. “More publishers are transitioning from anonymous page views to owned subscribers, where you know what they like and what they consume.”
Denk added that the model centers on building a reliable distribution as a foundation for additional revenue streams. “If newsletter is the core, can you build community? Can you build podcasts? Can you build video? Can you do events and merch? None of that is possible if you can’t actually reliably get in front of your audience,” he said.
Industry-Wide Trend Toward Creator-Style Journalism
The Post’s move aligns with findings from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which surveyed 280 digital leaders and found that 76% of publishers plan to encourage journalists to behave more like creators in 2026.
Half of the respondents said they plan to partner with creators for content distribution, while 31% intend to hire creators directly.
The Reuters Institute report also cited the Post’s own prior experience with creator talent as illustrative of the risks publishers face. Following the departure of TikTok personality Dave Jorgenson, engagement on the Post’s Universe YouTube channel declined, while Jorgenson’s independent channel continued to grow, according to data referenced from Rival IQ.
Meanwhile, publishers competing for newsletter audiences are splitting between platforms. While the Post and others have opted for beehiiv, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Financial Times, and The New Yorker are experimenting on Substack.
Time, which hosts 15 newsletters on beehiiv, reported a 63.8% rise in open rates since joining the platform.