Just a few days after the Washington Post had announced a radical clear-cut, the man who was supposed to make the media company profitable also took his hat off. Will Lewis announced Saturday that he would be leaving the US newspaper after just two years.
In his resignation announcement, he described his time as editor and managing director of the Washington Post as “two years of change”, but this period was primarily characterized by layoffs, turbulence and failed innovations. The mass layoffs last Wednesdaywhen more than a third of the employees lost their jobs, was the inglorious highlight of his term in office.
That Lewis, who had not publicly commented on the layoffs, appeared on the red carpet at an event just a day later of this year’s Superbowl was photographed was another indication that the relationship between employees and management has completely broken down – and this has been the case for a long time.
Lewis has been absent these past few weeks
In recent weeks, as it became increasingly clear that cuts were imminent, Lewis was absent. Journalists of the Washington PostThose who had lost trust in him therefore appealed directly Amazon founder Jeff Bezosto avert clear-cutting after all. Bezos, the Washington Post Acquired in 2013, but did not respond.
When Lewis returned in January 2024 Post came, the newspaper was in financial difficulties. The company had accumulated losses worth millions in recent years. The 56-year-old Englishman, who previously worked for competitors such as… Wall Street Journal and the British The Daily Telegraphhad worked, should change this.
Lewis would have been an attractive candidate for Bezos. He ran that WSJ as publisher and managing director for six years and helped the newspaper gain a solid financial foundation with its paywall system.
Temporary advisor to Boris Johnson
Lewis also had experience dealing with eccentric personalities such as US President Donald Trump. In both Great Britain and the USA he had for the Media mogul Rupert Murdoch and later worked as an advisor to the then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
But one of the biggest scandals in the British media world followed Lewis. Reported in December 2023 NPRthat Lewis had been accused of participating in a cover-up attempt surrounding Murdoch’s British tabloid phone-hacking scandal in the early 2010s. Lewis denied any wrongdoing.
Other missteps such as the decision no voting recommendation during the 2024 presidential election happened during Lewis’ time as editor. Even if Bezos had a significant influence on this decision. The result was hundreds of thousands of canceled subscriptions.
Like with Lewis and that Washington Post What will continue now is uncertain, but his resignation will cause little sadness among the newspaper’s editors. “The departure of Will Lewis is long overdue,” their union said in a statement.
However, it is not too late to save the newspaper. “Jeff Bezos must immediately reverse the layoffs or sell the newspaper to someone willing to invest in its future.”
The newspaper’s current chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, will take over as acting general manager for the time being.