The Washington Post, a prominent American daily newspaper, is reportedly facing a crisis.
As per a recent report by Vanity Fair, the abrupt departure of Sally Buzbee, the executive editor, over the weekend has led to a significant upheaval within the organization. The situation was further exacerbated when the staff discovered on Monday that Buzbee had been replaced by two white men. Buzbee had been at the helm of the newspaper since 2021.
In a staff meeting, the CEO and publisher of the Post, Will Lewis, stated that it was time for "decisive, urgent action to set us on a different path." A reporter questioned Lewis about the diversity of the candidates considered for the executive editor position, which was met with applause from the staff. Buzbee had been the first female executive editor at the Post.
The appointment of Matt Murray, the former editor-in-chief at the Wall Street Journal, as the interim executive editor raised further questions about diversity within the organization. One reporter pointed out that the Post now had "four white men running three newsrooms." Following the presidential election, Murray will be succeeded by Robert Winnett, the deputy editor of the Telegraph Media Group. Murray will then head Lewis's third newsroom concept. Murray, Winnett, and David Shipley, who oversees the opinions section, will each report directly to Lewis.
Lewis's plan for the Post extends beyond replacing Buzbee. He intends to divide the traditionally progressive paper into three newsrooms: news, opinion, and a third newsroom with a distinct mission. According to a memo obtained by Vanity Fair, Lewis stated that the third newsroom aims to cater to the millions of Americans who feel alienated by traditional news but still wish to stay informed. This newsroom will focus on video storytelling, utilize AI, and offer different subscription models.
However, these changes have not been well-received by the staff, who wish to maintain the focus on diversity and social justice within the newsroom. They argue that social and service journalists are integral to the core product of the Post. Lewis, however, believes that continuing on the current path would lead to more dead ends.
Like many news organizations, the Post has experienced a decline in readership, a trend that has been more pronounced due to the political interest during the Trump administration. The Post's website had 101 million unique visitors a month in 2020, which dropped to 50 million by the end of 2023. The paper is losing money and readers, and Lewis appears willing to disregard the demands for diversity and social justice from his reporters.
Paul Farhi, a retired Post newsman, commented on the changes, stating that Lewis is operating out of a sense of crisis and urgency. He noted that Lewis has been with the Post for only five months and is already implementing significant changes to the newsroom.
At the beginning of the year, the Post implemented forced buyouts to reduce staff following a bitter strike. Approximately 240 staffers accepted the buyouts, helping the Post avoid layoffs. However, layoffs were implemented in early 2023.
In the wake of Buzbee's departure, staffers expressed their feelings on social media. Reporter Leila Barghouty praised Buzbee for her treatment of her as a "Palestinian journalist." Video games reporter Gene Park appreciated Buzbee as a boss who cared for him when he was ill and made him feel valued in a world-class newsroom.
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