We sent an Open Letter Calling for the Washington Post to Publish Onchain
Jeff Bezos shook journalism and the election. Why stop now?
Jeff Bezos took a bold stand this week by discontinuing the practice of endorsing presidential candidates by his paper, The Washington Post.
I like this decision and think we can take this all the way and call for the paper to publish on blockchain ledgers to lead a major shift across the industry.
Read more below »
Greetings,
On behalf of ImmutableType, I have sent an open letter to editors of The Washington Post calling for the paper to begin publishing its journalism and other artifacts on the blockchain.
I issued this letter on the heels of the OpEd letter by Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, calling for “hard truths” to be faced to regain trust by the American public in journalism and mainstream media.
His decision to cease endorsing candidates has received mixed reactions from journalists and employees, as well as from political voices in Washington. This decision breaks with the paper’s tradition of endorsing candidates, and the change has stirred controversy.
My own opinion, as a founder seeking to return trust to journalism, is that it’s a great and long-overdue move from within the industry. I see no logical reason for journalists to endorse candidates if they are to be unbiased and objective. Why should an authority put his/her thumb on the scale and influence an audience? I hold that this practice is dated and was never really defensible from the start.
My hope in issuing this open letter is to shine a light on the opportunity for the industry to take even more important steps to include onchain publishing by journalists of completed articles, sources, transcripts, and even notes and artifacts leading to the crafting of finished works of journalism. Such a move by The Washington Post would send waves through the industry by setting a standard for transparency and data immutability.
The Washington Post is uniquely positioned to make such a move. It is one of the few American newspapers of influence owned by a single individual. Bezos purchased the business from the Graham family in 2012 and has remained neutral to its operations over that time. Furthermore, his experience with technology industry investments is unparalleled, as the founder of Amazon.com, and this background would assure the readership of the integrity of the technology behind such a move. Bezos and The Post could make publishing history and mark the turning point of 21st-century journalism and information access for all.
As the founder of ImmutableType, I believe that greater adoption by the media industry is the greatest tailwind our firm could ever experience. We are committed to bringing this type of technology to life for all local news and journalism professionals, and the example provided by Bezos and his leaders would be a boon to audience participation and local journalist careers. Our vision to return trust to journalism by decentralizing it from a few corporate hands would benefit from such a move
You may read my letter below. I hope our readers will share this post with those in the industry to affect discuss of this concept.
This is an opportunity to make a quick and bold move. We should make the most of our opportunity.
Thank you,
Damon Peters
Founder, ImmutableType
An Open Letter Calling for the Washington Post to Publish Journalism Onchain
To the Editors and Readers of the Washington Post,
As Mr. Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, pointed out within his OpEd, Açmericans continue to lose faith in the news and journalism we rely on. It’s time we call for bold steps to address “the hard truth”.
I’m calling on the Washington Post and its stakeholders to lead an industry-wide commitment to transparency by undertaking the practice of publishing its news and archival materials on public blockchains. Such a system will guarantee these artifacts are publicly accessible, verified, and immune to outside manipulation. Publishing onchain is the ultimate act of accountability, one that could assist with the effort to restore trust in journalism for Americans nationwide.
Blockchain is an invention with impact beyond technology and financial innovation—it’s also the new printing press that will ensure free and independent journalism continues as a uniquely human pursuit. It provides a method to create immutable records of history preserved against tampering, a decentralized safeguard for facts and enduring citations of the people who coordinated to preserve truth.
Yet governments around the world are stifling its use and expansion. But the United States, with its bedrock First Amendment rights, is positioned to protect free speech and free press on this emerging frontier. As one of the most recognized media organizations, the Washington Post can lead the way in securing blockchain’s status as a First Amendment-protected medium by committing its reporting to the blockchain. If Mr. Bezos wants to face “hard truths,” this is where to start: a powerful commitment to protecting the first true publishing innovation since the printing press.
Publishing onchain isn’t just about transparency. It’s about setting a new standard, empowering media audiences, and reviving local news—especially in America’s expanding news deserts. With this approach, the Washington Post will establish the new foundation for public trust, showing local and independent journalists a clean model to replicate. This logical step could be the start of a bloodless revolution for the corporate media and a new path forward that adapts to the 21st century citizen’s information needs, apart from what has been.
So here’s the challenge: I urge the Washington Post—its editors, readers, and stakeholders—to embrace an onchain model that champions both free speech and transparency. Let’s see the Post lead this revolutionary shift to rebuild trust in journalism for America.
Sincerely,
Damon Peters
Founder, ImmutableType
@damon_peters
CC:
@JeffBezos
@washingtonpost
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