Washington Post CEO Will Lewis Departs After Turbulent Tenure, Mass Layoffs

The Washington Post Publisher and Chief Executive Will Lewis announced Saturday evening he would depart after just two years at the paper, a tenure marked by controversy, and crisis.

Lewis called his time “two years of transformation” in his resignation note, but it was defined by turbulence rather than a clear path, and it ended with brutal job cuts. The paper’s chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, will serve as acting CEO.

More than a third of the newsroom was laid off on Wednesday after Lewis’ promises of radical innovations failed to staunch several years of annual losses in the tens of millions of dollars. At one point, losses hit $100 million, Lewis told staffers in June 2024 during a rocky newsroom all-staff meeting. It was just five months into his time at the Post yet proved to be his final all-staff meeting.

He was effectively absent as the paper’s scope, ambitions and journalism were radically redefined and constricted. Lewis played no visible role in announcing the layoffs in a mandatory Zoom call for the newsroom on Wednesday. Nor did he publicly address the paper’s readers to allay their concerns.

The situation reached a critical point just a day later when Lewis was photographed in Northern California walking a red carpet at a Super Bowl event.

The newsroom had lost so much faith in Lewis that in recent weeks journalists appealed directly in letters to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the paper’s owner, to spare the paper from cuts and help it find financial stability. Bezos did not respond to those appeals.

The cuts were sweeping. As previously reported, the sports desk was eliminated; the local staff reduced to about a dozen from more than 40; the international desk was decimated. Among the layoffs was the entire Middle East team, including the bureau chief and another war correspondent. The latter posted that she received the email informing her while she was in a war zone.

The events at The Washington Post reflect a broader, ongoing struggle within the news industry. The transition to digital subscriptions has proven challenging for many legacy news organizations, and the economic pressures are forcing difficult decisions about staffing and coverage. The paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, and Lewis have faced intensifying criticism for their stewardship, including a misstep involving a shelved endorsement of Kamala Harris that led to a significant number of canceled subscriptions.

The layoffs and subsequent leadership change raise questions about the future of investigative journalism and in-depth reporting, particularly at a time when reliable information is crucial. The reduction in staff, especially in areas like international and local coverage, could leave communities underserved and less informed. The elimination of the sports desk, while perhaps driven by financial considerations, also represents a narrowing of the paper’s scope and a potential loss of engagement for some readers.

The situation at The Washington Post is not unique. Other news organizations have also been forced to implement layoffs and restructuring plans in response to economic challenges. However, the circumstances surrounding Lewis’s departure and the timing of his appearance at the Super Bowl event have amplified the criticism and raised concerns about the priorities of the paper’s leadership.

The appointment of Jeff D’Onofrio as acting CEO signals a period of transition for the Post. It remains to be seen what direction the paper will take under new leadership and whether it will be able to navigate the challenges facing the news industry while maintaining its commitment to quality journalism.