Washington Put up writer Will Lewis abruptly resigns amid criticism of workers cuts | Washington Put up

Will Lewis, the Murdoch media veteran who took over as writer and chief government of the Washington Put up in early 2024, introduced abruptly on Saturday night that he’s leaving the corporate.

His departure comes simply three days after the Put up laid off practically one-third of its whole workers, citing the necessity to lower 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 Put up, now could be the proper time for me to step apart,” Lewis wrote in an untitled e mail to Put up staffers obtained by the Guardian. “I need 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 a number of the criticism that the Put up has obtained in current days, together with from many present workers. A minimum of 300 journalists had been lower from the Put up’s newsroom in one of many largest spherical of layoffs in American media historical past.

“Throughout my tenure, tough choices have been taken in an effort to make sure the sustainable way forward for The Put up so it could 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 Put up in June as chief monetary officer, will function appearing writer and chief government.

“This can be a difficult time throughout all media organizations, and The Put up 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 trade landscapes, and we rose to fulfill these moments. I’ve little question we’ll just do that, collectively.

“I’m honored to take the helm as appearing Writer and CEO to guide us right into a sustainable, profitable future with the power of our journalism as our north star,” he wrote. “I sit up for working shoulder to shoulder with all of you to make that occur.”

Bezos, who has owned the Put up since 2013, and who has obtained heavy criticism in current days for his stewardship of the publication, launched an announcement touting the Put up and its new management staff – with out addressing Lewis’s tenure overseeing the corporate.

“The Put up has a necessary journalistic mission and a unprecedented alternative. Each 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 Put up 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 carefully on this for a very long time,” Murray instructed 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 at present.”

Lewis additionally confronted criticism when a former Put up sports activities reporter printed a photograph of him on the festivities for Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl, even after the Put up largely destroyed its sports activities part, shedding writers who cowl soccer.

Lewis, 56, joined the Put up 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 Road 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 basic supervisor at what was then known as Information Worldwide.

He performed a key function 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 Put up that he didn’t plan to debate his function within the aftermath of the hacking scandal any additional.

“Will can placed on British appeal and is aware of how you can handle up however finally outcomes matter,” mentioned Glenn Kessler, a former Put up journalist who has been important of the paper’s management. “Each initiative he launched failed and he by no means discovered a method to enhance readers for the Put up.”