The guy,
Aftershocks from the earthquake that hit The Washington Post newsroom Sunday night were still being felt on Monday.
Sally Buzbee’s abrupt resignation as executive editor, as well as the plan to replace her, has Washington Post staffers angry, confused and curious about what the future has in store for one of America’s great institutions.
First, let’s start here: Why is Buzbee out after just three years?
It actually goes back five months, when Will Lewis was brought in by owner Jeff Bezos to be the new publisher and CEO. Just last month, Lewis told staff that the Post has suffered stunning financial losses in the past year — some $77 million — and that there had been a 50% drop-off in audience since 2020.
Clearly, even someone as ridiculously wealthy as Bezos isn’t OK with that.
So Lewis came up with a plan that includes a new organizational structure that will divide the newsroom into three divisions, with each reporting to Lewis.
Apparently, that new structure didn’t work for Buzbee. According to The New York Times’ Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson, Buzbee told managers on a call Sunday night, “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.”
The Washington Post’s Sarah Ellison, Elahe Izadi and Jeremy Barr reported that in a meeting with staff on Monday morning, Lewis said, “I really enjoyed working with Sally. I wish it could have gone on for longer, but it couldn’t. And I don’t think it’s appropriate to take that bit of the conversation any further.”
The Post reported that Lewis offered Buzbee the role overseeing a new service/social media division, adding, “But Buzbee was uncomfortable with the structure and did not believe she could be effective in the role, the person familiar with their conversations said. That left her with no real place in the organization and the two agreed that she needed to step aside.”
One could see why Buzbee would balk at taking over a new division, which would certainly appear like a demotion after being in charge of the entire newsroom for the past three years — a job she took after leaving The Associated Press, where she was executive editor....****....Margaret Sullivan, a former media columnist for The Washington Post, bitingly noted how the three reporting to Lewis, who is white, are all white men, tweeting, “Each of our three newsrooms will be led by an outstanding white male, which we feel is especially appropriate in Washington DC. If these three newsrooms are successful, we will consider a fourth and fifth.”It’s a topic that came up when Lewis introduced Murray to the Post staff in a meeting on Monday. Several staffers asked about diversity and, according to The New York Times, one reporter asked how the new leaders were chosen and that it looked as if Lewis merely picked buddies who he used to work with.
The reporter said, “When you were here before, you talked very movingly about how you care about diversity — and people talk about diversity — but then when push comes to shove, they say, ‘Well, I looked around and I couldn’t find anyone.’”
Vanity Fair’s Charlotte Klein reported that one Post staffer drew applause when they asked if “any women or people of color were interviewed and seriously considered for either of these positions.”
Klein also reported that when asked about which people Lewis met with, he said, “It was an iterative, messy process, which I don’t want to go into the details of.”
About diversity, the Post reported Lewis said, “I’ve got to do better, and you’ll see that going forward.” Murray, according to the Times, said diversity would be a “constant commitment,” although these latest moves would not suggest that.
The Washington Post Guild put out a statement saying it was “troubled” by the departure of Buzbee, as well as “the suggestion (from Lewis) that the financial issues plaguing our company span from the work of us journalists instead of mismanagement from our leadership.”
It added, “We are also concerned about the lack of diversity at the top levels of the organization, especially as the Post seeks to reach new audiences while continuing to cover the most pressing issues in the nation and the world.”
In Monday’s staff meeting, Lewis was blunt, telling one staffer in what the Post described as a heated exchange, “We are going to turn this thing around, but let’s not sugarcoat it. It needs turning around. We are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. Right. I can’t sugarcoat it anymore.”
....MUCH MORE
Recently, May 24's Media: "The Washington Post lays out an optimistic new strategy after grim financial numbers", also from Poynter.
And previously (August 6, 2013):
UPDATED--"Jeff Bezos Has Acquired The Washington Post For $250 Million" (AMZN; BRK.b; WPO)
....And from Mediaite:
Washington Post Columnist Ezra Klein Reacts To Bezos Purchase…
"Probably the wrong day to be working out of the office..."
