Will Lewis, the Murdoch media veteran who took over as writer and chief government of the Washington Post in early 2024, introduced abruptly on Saturday night that he’s leaving the corporate.
His departure comes simply three days after the Submit laid off nearly one-third of its whole workers, citing the necessity to reduce prices and reposition the money-losing publication. Lewis, who didn’t seem on the all-staff assembly throughout which the cuts had been introduced, has confronted criticism for his absence and management.
“All – after two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now’s the fitting time for me to step apart,” Lewis wrote in an untitled electronic mail to Submit staffers obtained by the Guardian. “I wish to thank Jeff Bezos for his assist and management all through my tenure as CEO and Writer. The establishment couldn’t have a greater proprietor.”
Lewis then addressed some of the criticism that the Post has acquired in latest days, together with from many present staff. At the very least 300 journalists had been reduce from the Submit’s newsroom in one of many largest spherical of layoffs in American media historical past.
“Throughout my tenure, troublesome choices have been taken as a way to make sure the sustainable way forward for The Submit so it may possibly for a few years forward publish high-quality nonpartisan information to hundreds of thousands of consumers every day,” Lewis wrote, signing off: “With gratitude, Will.”
Jeff D’Onofrio, who solely joined the Submit in June as chief monetary officer, will function performing writer and chief government.
“This can be a difficult time throughout all media organizations, and The Submit is sadly no exception,” D’Onofrio wrote in a memo to staffers. “I’ve had the privilege of serving to chart the course of disrupters and cultural stalwarts alike. All confronted financial headwinds in altering business landscapes, and we rose to satisfy these moments. I’ve little question we’ll just do that, collectively.
“I’m honored to take the helm as performing Writer and CEO to guide us right into a sustainable, profitable future with the energy of our journalism as our north star,” he wrote. “I stay up for working shoulder to shoulder with all of you to make that occur.”
Bezos, who has owned the Submit since 2013, and who has acquired heavy criticism in latest days for his stewardship of the publication, launched an announcement touting the Submit and its new management staff – with out addressing Lewis’s tenure overseeing the corporate.
“The Submit has an important journalistic mission and a unprecedented alternative. Every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The information tells us what is efficacious and the place to focus,” Bezos mentioned. “Jeff, together with [executive editor Matt Murray] and [opinion editor Adam O’Neal], are positioned to guide The Submit into an thrilling and thriving subsequent chapter.”
Throughout an interview final week, Murray defended Lewis when requested about his absence. “Look, Will has been engaged with me very intently on this for a very long time,” Murray advised Fox Information. “And there have been numerous issues that the corporate did and Will was engaged with all throughout the corporate, and I wasn’t. He had numerous issues to are likely to in the present day.”
Lewis additionally confronted criticism when a former Submit sports activities reporter published a photo of him on the festivities for Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl, even after the Submit largely destroyed its sports activities part, shedding writers who cowl soccer.
Lewis, 56, joined the Submit after a prolonged profession working for Rupert Murdoch’s media properties. Most just lately, Lewis had spent six years as chief government officer and writer of the Wall Avenue Journal, departing in 2020.
Lewis started his profession as a journalist on the Monetary Occasions. After working as enterprise editor on the Sunday Occasions and editor in chief of the Telegraph from 2005 to 2010, Lewis was appointed group common supervisor at what was then known as Information Worldwide.
He performed a key position in dealing with the aftermath of the hacking scandal that enveloped Murdoch’s UK media properties as a part of the company-created administration and requirements committee that dealt with the corporate’s interactions with police investigating the allegations. Lewis mentioned upon becoming a member of the Submit that he didn’t plan to debate his position within the aftermath of the hacking scandal any additional.
His departure was celebrated by some present and former Submit journalists who spoke with the Guardian.
“Will can placed on British allure and is aware of methods to handle up however finally outcomes matter,” mentioned Glenn Kessler, a former Submit journalist who has been important of the paper’s management. “Each initiative he launched failed and he by no means discovered a approach to increase readers for the Submit.”
