The chief executive of the Washington Post is stepping down, the newspaper has announced, days after overseeing mass lay-offs.
In a message to staff, William Lewis stated it was the right time to leave and that 'difficult decisions' had been made to ensure the paper's future.
On Wednesday, the newspaper announced it was cutting a third of its workforce, reducing its coverage of sports and international news. This decision faced condemnation from many journalists and sparked criticism of the Post's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos. Executive editor Matt Murray mentioned that the cuts were intended to bring 'stability'.
Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO following Lewis's departure. Lewis, a former Dow Jones chief and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, had taken the helm of the Washington Post in 2023 and was charged with reversing the company's financial troubles.
Hundreds of employees protested at the paper's headquarters in Washington DC after news of the job cuts, which included significant reductions to its international reporting staff, including the entire Middle East team and the Kyiv correspondent.
Marty Baron, former executive editor of the Post until 2021, described the layoffs as among the darkest days in the history of a reputed news organization. Lewis's resignation highlights ongoing turbulence for the prominent US newspaper, marked by staff reductions and contentious editorial decisions.
Following the 2023 layoffs, Bezos's move to avoid endorsing a presidential candidate for the upcoming election marked a significant shift from the Post's long-running tradition of political endorsements.
As Bezos continues to reshape the paper's editorial direction, the impacts of these cuts and leadership changes will likely be scrutinized in the context of the broader media landscape.
In a message to staff, William Lewis stated it was the right time to leave and that 'difficult decisions' had been made to ensure the paper's future.
On Wednesday, the newspaper announced it was cutting a third of its workforce, reducing its coverage of sports and international news. This decision faced condemnation from many journalists and sparked criticism of the Post's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos. Executive editor Matt Murray mentioned that the cuts were intended to bring 'stability'.
Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO following Lewis's departure. Lewis, a former Dow Jones chief and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, had taken the helm of the Washington Post in 2023 and was charged with reversing the company's financial troubles.
Hundreds of employees protested at the paper's headquarters in Washington DC after news of the job cuts, which included significant reductions to its international reporting staff, including the entire Middle East team and the Kyiv correspondent.
Marty Baron, former executive editor of the Post until 2021, described the layoffs as among the darkest days in the history of a reputed news organization. Lewis's resignation highlights ongoing turbulence for the prominent US newspaper, marked by staff reductions and contentious editorial decisions.
Following the 2023 layoffs, Bezos's move to avoid endorsing a presidential candidate for the upcoming election marked a significant shift from the Post's long-running tradition of political endorsements.
As Bezos continues to reshape the paper's editorial direction, the impacts of these cuts and leadership changes will likely be scrutinized in the context of the broader media landscape.
