Sudden Exit
Will Lewis quietly left his post as CEO and publisher of The Washington Post on Saturday evening, just after the paper announced a sweeping round of job cuts. The timing looks abrupt. Executives called the move part of a larger restructuring meant to stabilize the business. Staff were told to work from home during a webinar where the scope of the reductions was described. For readers, the announcement reads like a corporate pivot wrapped in urgent PR language.
What Was Cut
Reports say the newsroom lost hundreds of positions and several units were reshaped or closed. The sports desk will not continue in its current form, international coverage is being pared back, the Metro team will be made smaller and more focused, and the Books section will be eliminated. Some accounts suggest roughly one third of roles were affected. That is a big change for a paper that still sells itself on deep reporting and national reach.
Lewis, Bezos, and Corporate Language
In his staff email, Lewis thanked owner Jeff Bezos and described his time as a period of transformation. That is the corporate version of saying painful cuts were needed. The Post issued a statement framed around sharpening focus and engaging customers. Translation: keep subscribers and cut costs. Those are normal business goals, but sharp editing of beats and foreign bureaus will change what the paper can cover.
New Leadership and Questions
Jeff D’Onofrio is the acting publisher and CEO. He pledged to protect the paper’s legacy and business. The real test will be whether fewer reporters can still deliver the kind of journalism readers expect, especially on local and international stories. Expect more PR about mission and quality. Also expect skepticism from people who watch what happens to beats after the memo goes out.
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