The chief executive of the Washington Post is stepping down, the newspaper has announced, days after overseeing mass lay-offs.
Will Lewis said it was the right time to leave, stating in a message to staff 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, dramatically scaling back its coverage of sports and international news. This decision has faced condemnation from many journalists and has prompted criticism of the Post's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos. Executive editor Matt Murray said the cuts would bring 'stability'.
Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer of the newspaper last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO following Lewis's departure. Lewis, a former Dow Jones chief executive and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, was appointed at the Washington Post in 2023 and has faced significant criticism from subscribers and employees as he attempted to reverse financial losses.
Hundreds protested in front of the paper's headquarters in Washington DC after the mass layoffs, which included the entire Middle East staff and the Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent. Marty Baron, the Post's executive editor until 2021, described these cuts as some of the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations.
Lewis's exit comes amid ongoing turmoil at the newspaper, which has dealt with a series of staff cuts and controversial editorial decisions in recent years. With the 2024 US presidential election approaching, Bezos has broken from tradition by choosing not to endorse a presidential candidate, a move that has led to widespread criticism and subscriber loss.
Will Lewis said it was the right time to leave, stating in a message to staff 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, dramatically scaling back its coverage of sports and international news. This decision has faced condemnation from many journalists and has prompted criticism of the Post's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos. Executive editor Matt Murray said the cuts would bring 'stability'.
Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer of the newspaper last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO following Lewis's departure. Lewis, a former Dow Jones chief executive and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, was appointed at the Washington Post in 2023 and has faced significant criticism from subscribers and employees as he attempted to reverse financial losses.
Hundreds protested in front of the paper's headquarters in Washington DC after the mass layoffs, which included the entire Middle East staff and the Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent. Marty Baron, the Post's executive editor until 2021, described these cuts as some of the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations.
Lewis's exit comes amid ongoing turmoil at the newspaper, which has dealt with a series of staff cuts and controversial editorial decisions in recent years. With the 2024 US presidential election approaching, Bezos has broken from tradition by choosing not to endorse a presidential candidate, a move that has led to widespread criticism and subscriber loss.
