January 1, Washington Post CEO Quits Days After Major Layoffs

Wyatt’s Take

• The Washington Post’s CEO abruptly leaves right after staff slashing.
• Leadership reshuffles rarely spell stability for any business, media included.
• Regular employees bear the brunt while those at the top move on.

Will Lewis, head of The Washington Post, resigned just days after the paper let go of hundreds of staff. The change came suddenly, with Chief Financial Officer Jeff D’Onofrio stepping in as acting CEO, but the official announcement did not explain Lewis’s reasons for leaving.

“The Post’s resolute commitment to writing the first rough draft of history anchors and imprints its future,” D’Onofrio said in a statement, calling it an honor to lead the institution.

Owner Jeff Bezos praised the paper’s mission, saying, “Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success.”

Lewis thanked Bezos and said, “[A]fter two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside.” He said hard decisions were made “to ensure the sustainable future of The Post.”

Earlier in the week, around a third of the newsroom lost their jobs. Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson learned she was laid off while reporting in a warzone, sharing, “I have no words. I’m devastated.”

The employee union blamed the cuts for hurting the newspaper’s ability to serve readers, stating, “A newsroom cannot be hollowed out without consequences of its credibility, its reach and its future.” Flyers in the outgoing CEO’s neighborhood called for an end to the layoffs and featured QR codes for residents to petition against further cuts.

Despite the shakeup, it’s unclear if Lewis will have any role at the paper going forward. The layoffs and resignations signal tough times and rising uncertainty for the people who work there.

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Wyatt Matters

Big city publications often forget who their work affects most. Hardworking folks lose their jobs first, while company brass always have a safety net. These shakeups show why stability and fairness matter for everyday Americans.