Shockwaves hit the Washington Post newsroom as staff grapple with the sudden resignation of their executive editor Sally Buzbee, raising concerns over leadership changes and the future direction of the publication.
Washington Post staffers are concerned about the abrupt resignation of executive editor Sally Buzbee, which was announced along with newsroom restructuring on Sunday. Buzbee stepped down after three years in the role, with Matt Murray taking over until the 2024 presidential election, followed by Robert Winnett.
At an all-hands meeting on Monday, hosted by Washington Post CEO Will Lewis and Murray, staff expressed their worries about the sudden changes, according to Vanity Fair's special correspondent Brian Stelter. Stelter reported on social media that “Lewis bluntly told them to get with the program, so to speak.”
Semafor’s Max Tani reported that staffers raised concerns about the new leadership’s lack of diversity, especially in light of Buzbee’s departure as the paper’s first female top editor.
In response to these changes, The Washington Post Guild released a statement saying, “We’re troubled by the sudden departure of our executive editor Sally Buzbee and the suggestion from our Publisher & CEO Will Lewis that the financial issues plaguing our company are due to the work of us as journalists rather than mismanagement by our leadership.”
The Guild also expressed concern about the lack of diversity at the top levels of the organization, noting leadership’s goal to reach new audiences while maintaining quality coverage.
According to the New York Times, Buzbee’s resignation was prompted by Lewis’ restructuring of the Post. His decision to divide the newsroom into three smaller departments “didn’t work for her.” Buzbee said during an editorial call, “I would have preferred to stay to help us get through this period, but it just got to the point where it wasn’t possible.”
This restructuring follows the announcement that the paper lost $77 million in the past year and plans to expand the use of artificial intelligence in its newsroom. Additionally, the Post’s traffic has dropped by half since its peak in 2020, reflecting broader challenges in the news industry.
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