Washington Post CEO Will Lewis ‘in hiding’ from – Business News
Washington Post CEO and writer Will Lewis has reportedly gone into a “state of hiding” as fury within the newsroom grows over the large overhaul by the paper’s proprietor, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Lewis, who took the reins of the Beltway broadsheet in 2023, has been noticeably absent since final June, a number of Washington Post staffers instructed The New Yorker in a prolonged characteristic printed on Monday.
Staffers — already pissed off by an exodus sparked by Bezos’ choice to kill an endorsement of Kamala Harris shortly earlier than the election — additionally instructed the outlet that they’d issues concerning the British-born Lewis’ ingesting.
“One thing that has damaged him internally is that his drinking is widely known in the newsroom,” a former senior editor claimed. “It’s literally something his employees joke about.”
Washington Post CEO and writer has been absent within the newsroom, in line with pissed off staffers. The Washington Post through Getty Images
The absence of Lewis — who beforehand served as CEO of the Wall Street Journal — has fractured his relationship with government editor Matt Murray, whom he appointed to the job earlier this 12 months, the report mentioned.
Part of the discord was associated to how the newspaper coated his own risky tenure on the paper, The New Yorker mentioned. The publication has since largely stopped overlaying itself.
“I know Will [Lewis] was very upset with Matt [Murray] for the (Washington) Post’s coverage and for some period of time wouldn‘t talk to Matt,” the previous senior editor instructed The New Yorker.
Last week, Lewis skipped celebrating the paper’s a number of Pulitzer Prize wins at its DC newsroom, which was led by Murray, in line with The New Yorker.
Lewis’ absence was attributed by Murray to a long-planned journey.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns the newspaper, has led
the outlet’s change in direction. GC Images
A rep for the Washington Post denied that Lewis and Murray had a falling out.
When requested about Lewis’ absence, the spokesperson instructed The Post that the exec respects the road of the newsroom however usually attends information and opinion conferences.
The rep didn’t deal with Lewis’ alleged ingesting.
Staffers griped to The New Yorker about Lewis’ ingesting and mentioned that morale was low after the sweeping adjustments on the paper. AP
Late final 12 months, Lewis had raised eyebrows when he ditched the paper’s annual Eugene Meyer Awards. Instead, he hosted a non-public dinner for award recipients in January — although he skipped the cocktail hour, the New Yorker reported.
At the dinner, Lewis praised the the paper’s current accomplishments at the same time as he laid off almost 100 people that month.
Don Graham, the 80-year-old son of former Post writer and icon Katharine Graham, spoke out during the non-public dinner in an uncommon unscripted second. After outlining the Meyer Awards’ historical past, Graham mentioned morale was low on the paper. Lewis reportedly saved his gaze fixed on his place setting.
A rep for the Washington Post denied that government editor Matt Murray (above) and Lewis (seated) have had a falling out. The Washington Post through Getty Images
“It was such a wild moment,” an attendee instructed the magazine.
In March, Lewis, Bezos and Murray have been MIA on the the premiere of “Becoming Katharine Graham” on the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Another one who spoke to The New Yorker mentioned that morale has continued to be low and added that Lewis and his high deputies converse of the newsroom with “vitriol.”
They have been continuously infantilizing them and continuously speaking about how they needed to be disciplined,” the particular person mentioned.
A spokesperson for the newspaper denied the declare and mentioned Lewis has “tremendous” respect and appreciation for his colleagues.
Murray mentioned Lewis’ absence from the Pultizer ceremony was due to the CEO’s journey schedule. through REUTERS
Lewis has confronted backlash from staffers over Bezos’ edict to maneuver the paper’s left-leaning protection more to the middle, together with a transfer to rent more right-leaning voices. Bezos additionally drew scorn after saying the opinions part could be dedicated to advocating for “personal liberties” and “free markets.”
The adjustments have sparked defections from a slew of editors, reporters and columnists. David Shipley, the newspaper’s opinion editor, resigned and more than 75,000 readers canceled their subscriptions in protest.
In January, more than 400 Washington Post journalists despatched an offended letter to Bezos, pleading with him to intervene on the paper’s direction to revive the “trust that has been lost.”
