Washington, United States. The chief executive of the Washington Post, William Lewis, is stepping down, the newspaper said, days after overseeing mass lay-offs. In a message to staff, Lewis said it was the right time to leave and that “difficult decisions” had been made to ensure the paper’s future.
Leadership change
The Washington Post said Jeff D’Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO.
Lewis, a former Dow Jones chief executive and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, was appointed to the role at the Washington Post in 2023.
Workforce cuts and coverage changes
On Wednesday, the newspaper announced it was cutting a third of its workforce, dramatically scaling back its coverage of sport and international news. Executive editor Matt Murray said the cuts would bring “stability”.
The decision was condemned by many journalists and prompted criticism of the Post’s billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos.
Reactions and protests
Lewis has faced criticism from subscribers and employees as he tried to reverse financial losses at the daily.
Hundreds protested in front of the paper’s headquarters in Washington DC on Thursday after the mass lay-offs, which included the paper’s entire Middle East staff and its Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent.
Marty Baron, the Post’s executive editor until 2021, said the cuts ranked “among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organisations”.
Ongoing upheaval
Lewis’s departure marks the latest upheaval for the leading US newspaper, which has seen a series of staff cuts and controversial editorial decisions in recent years.
How do you think the workforce cuts will affect the Washington Post’s reporting?