Will Lewis Steps Down as Publisher of The Washington Post Amid Staff Layoffs, Restructuring Efforts
In a move that comes just days after significant layoffs struck the newsroom, Will Lewis has announced his departure from his role as publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post. Lewis' decision to step down was made in a brief email to staff, which he described as "the right time for me to step aside."
Lewis was tasked with reversing the paper's decline in readership and annual losses since taking over the post in late 2023, following Jeff Bezos' acquisition of the newspaper for approximately $250 million. However, Lewis faced criticism over his leadership style, particularly during the layoffs period. This included an incident where Lewis attended an NFL event while newsroom staff were losing their jobs.
The announcement comes as the publication is reeling from a third of its newsroom staff being let go this week. The remaining journalists are now facing the challenge of producing high-quality nonpartisan news amidst restructuring efforts.
Meanwhile, Jeff D'Onofrio has been appointed as acting publisher and CEO and will take over the role immediately. His experience includes serving as chief executive at art and fandom site Tumblr.
In a statement released by owner Bezos, he expressed his support for Lewis and stated that the newspaper "has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity." However, Lewis' name was not mentioned in this public address.
The Washington Post has a storied history of investigative journalism, having won 53 Pulitzer Prizes. Its coverage of major events such as the Watergate scandal played a pivotal role in President Nixon's resignation.
Bezos stated that "Jeff, along with [executive editor] Matt [Murray] and [opinion editor] Adam [O’Neal], are positioned to lead the Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter."
In a move that comes just days after significant layoffs struck the newsroom, Will Lewis has announced his departure from his role as publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post. Lewis' decision to step down was made in a brief email to staff, which he described as "the right time for me to step aside."
Lewis was tasked with reversing the paper's decline in readership and annual losses since taking over the post in late 2023, following Jeff Bezos' acquisition of the newspaper for approximately $250 million. However, Lewis faced criticism over his leadership style, particularly during the layoffs period. This included an incident where Lewis attended an NFL event while newsroom staff were losing their jobs.
The announcement comes as the publication is reeling from a third of its newsroom staff being let go this week. The remaining journalists are now facing the challenge of producing high-quality nonpartisan news amidst restructuring efforts.
Meanwhile, Jeff D'Onofrio has been appointed as acting publisher and CEO and will take over the role immediately. His experience includes serving as chief executive at art and fandom site Tumblr.
In a statement released by owner Bezos, he expressed his support for Lewis and stated that the newspaper "has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity." However, Lewis' name was not mentioned in this public address.
The Washington Post has a storied history of investigative journalism, having won 53 Pulitzer Prizes. Its coverage of major events such as the Watergate scandal played a pivotal role in President Nixon's resignation.
Bezos stated that "Jeff, along with [executive editor] Matt [Murray] and [opinion editor] Adam [O’Neal], are positioned to lead the Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter."
. Will Lewis steps down as publisher of The Washington Post because he couldn't handle the heat? I mean, come on, you're the one who's supposed to be leading the charge to save a dying newspaper, and instead, you're off partying at an NFL event while your own staff is losing their jobs 
. And now, they're restructuring efforts? Like, what even is the point of that? They'll just end up cutting more staff and still not making any money 
.
. Newsflash: The Washington Post has been a legend for decades, and it's not going to be fixed by some new face and some empty promises. It's all about the bottom line, folks 
.
he's been going through a tough time already with all those layoffs and now this is just the cherry on top 
it's not easy to make decisions that affect people's jobs, especially when you're trying to turn things around 
but hey, being aware of your own limitations and knowing when to step aside is actually a pretty brave thing to do 
I hope he finds some peace and moves forward with something amazing 
! I mean, Will Lewis steps down as publisher after just a few months, that's crazy talk 
. And now they're having these massive layoffs and restructuring efforts? it's like the paper is getting rebranded mid-stream 
. Jeff Bezos' got his money on the table but can he save the Post from itself? 
i'm still holding out hope that they'll get back to their Pulitzer-winning roots 
. The guy's departure comes after some controversy over his leadership style, especially during those layoffs... attending an NFL event while staff were losing jobs? Yeah, that doesn't look good for him. Anyways, hope Jeff D'Onofrio can bring some stability to the newspaper and lead it back on track 
... i feel bad for the staff, they're already dealing with so much stress. it's like bezos is just throwing more people at the problem instead of actually fixing the issues 
still, it's a shame lewis couldn't turn things around after all that cash came in 
seems like a pretty big distraction from his main goal - fixing the paper's financial woes & restoring readership. what's the deal with jeff bezos not even mentioning lewis in his statement tho? 
is this just another example of power struggles behind the scenes? 
the state of The Washington Post rn?! Will Lewis was supposed to save the paper but he's out 
and now they're just trying to restructure...idk how this is gonna affect the quality of journalism 
. Jeff D'Onofrio is taking over tho 
and I'm hoping he'll bring some fresh blood 
, it's like Tumblr all over again 
it's like the universe is trying to tell us something 
. I'm all for restructuring efforts and whatnot, but come on Jeff Bezos, you're not gonna just forget about Lewis after everything he's been through 
like, how are they supposed to do their jobs with that kind of stress?! 
I feel like this is déjà vu all over again... remember when Jeff Bezos took over The Washington Post in 2023? It was supposed to be a revival, but so far, it's been a bumpy ride. 
That's not exactly the kind of leadership you want to see in the newsroom.
He's always been someone who's passionate about journalism, and you could tell that by the way he spoke about his vision for the paper.
It's one thing to make tough decisions as a business leader, but it's another to attend events while staff are losing their jobs. That was pretty tone-deaf.
One thing that worries me is the potential impact of restructuring efforts on the quality of journalism at the paper.
Only time will tell if they can pull it off.
. As a parent, I would want someone with more empathy and understanding when making tough decisions that affect people's livelihoods.
. But seriously, this whole thing just feels like a mess 
. Can't they all just work together and support each other? 
I just hope the newsroom staff can bounce back from this and keep producing amazing journalism 
. meanwhile, the remaining staff are just gonna have to put up with restructuring efforts and try to keep the paper from completely tanking 
. good luck to them, i guess