Jesse Dougherty was among those who lost their jobs Wednesday as part of the mass layoffs that gutted the staff of the D.C.-area’s hometown newspaper, The Washington Post.

The newspaper laid off one-third of its staff, eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage in a widespread purge that represented a brutal blow to journalism and one of its most legendary brands, The Associated Press reported.

Dougherty joined the paper in 2017. He spoke with WTOP evening anchor Nick Iannelli and shared what he and his colleagues felt upon hearing the news.

Listen below or read the transcript, which has been lightly edited.