Robert Winnett, newly appointed as editor by The Washington Post, has opted to remain in Britain instead of taking the position, causing further turmoil at the news outlet amid a troubled reorganization effort. CEO and publisher Will Lewis informed staff of Winnett’s decision in a memo on Friday, announcing plans to initiate a search for a replacement through a recruitment firm.
The financially strained Post had previously announced Winnett’s role as editor for core newsroom functions following the U.S. elections in November. They also planned to establish a “third newsroom” focused on generating revenue through innovative journalism approaches.
Earlier, Executive Editor Sally Buzbee had announced her resignation rather than accepting a demotion to lead this revenue initiative. Matt Murray, a former Wall Street Journal editor, temporarily replaced her and was slated to lead the “third newsroom” in the future.
Controversy arose over the journalistic ethics of Lewis and Winnett, stemming from their previous work in England. Reports surfaced questioning their handling of information obtained from a data company, a practice not widely accepted in American journalism. This led to dissent within the newsroom, with veteran journalist David Maraniss criticizing the publisher and “supposed new editor” on social media.
Jeff Bezos, the Post’s billionaire owner, assured staff in a recent memo that journalistic standards and ethics would remain unchanged amidst the upheaval. Despite the challenges, Lewis reaffirmed the Post’s commitment to its reorganization efforts, promising to announce details of Winnett’s replacement soon.
Winnett, choosing to remain at The Daily Telegraph in London, was praised by Telegraph editor Chris Evans as a loss for The Post and a gain for their publication, according to The Guardian.
