Billionaire Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos will buy the Washington Post newspaper for $250 million in a surprise deal that ends the Graham family’s 80 years of ownership and hands one of the country’s most influential publications to the businessman whose Internet company has transformed retailing.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos

Bezos, hailed by many as technology visionary, called his acquisition a personal endeavor and reassured employees and readers of the 135-year-old newspaper he will preserve its journalistic tradition, while driving innovation.