The Washington Post’s publisher and CEO Will Lewis resigned on Saturday, just days after laying off 300 journalists. His sudden departure comes amid strong criticism from staff over his handling of the newspaper’s financial troubles and recent mass layoffs. Jeff D’Onofrio, the company’s CFO, will take over as acting publisher and CEO immediately.Lewis announced his exit in a brief note to staff, thanking owner Jeff Bezos and claiming the “difficult decisions” were needed for the Post’s future. “After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” Lewis wrote Saturday in a brief note to staff. “I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner,” he added.Further continuing his message he added, “During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day.”However, Lewis’ leadership came with controversies, according to CNN. Even during the Wednesday layoffs, his absence and subsequent appearance at a Super Bowl event in San Francisco reportedly caused anger.The Washington Post announced what it called a “significant restructuring” of its operations, including the closure of its standalone Sports desk and a reduction in its international reporting presence. According to Fox News, roughly a third of the organisation’s workforce which is nearly 300 employees were affected.Bezos broke his silence since the layoffs, stating in a statement that “The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity.” He expressed confidence in the new leadership team of D’Onofrio, executive editor Matt Murray, and Opinion editor Adam O’Neal.Lewis’s 15-month tenure was rocky from the start. He joined in November 2023 after working at The Wall Street Journal and within Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. His reputation took hits when NPR reported his alleged involvement in covering up a phone-hacking scandal at Murdoch’s UK tabloids, which he denied. He also reportedly tried to stop NPR from publishing that story.The Washington Post Guild responded to Lewis’s departure with sharp criticism. “His legacy will be the attempted destruction of a great American journalism institution,” the union said, calling on Bezos to reverse the layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in its future.Despite attempts to improve the Post’s business side and develop new revenue streams, Lewis struggled to win over the newsroom. His decision to fire executive editor Sally Buzbee and his handling of the recent layoffs, where he was notably absent from communicating with staff, further damaged his standing with employees.
