The Washington Post, locally known as the Post, revealed a major management shakeup on Sunday, June 2, as Sally Buzbee resigned from her position as executive editor after three years with the publication.
First Female Executive Editor of the Post
Buzbee made history as The Washington Post's first female executive editor.
In May 2021, Buzbee was chosen to be the chief editor of the Post, replacing the renowned Martin Baron. She oversaw the newsroom's expansion of service journalism and guided it through the pandemic's turbulent times. Her leadership has also earned The Washington Post the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.
William Lewis, the CEO and publisher of the Post, praised Buzbee and expressed his best wishes for her future endeavors. "Sally is an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed," Lewis stated.
A reason for Buzbee's departure from the Post was, however, not provided.
Recent Changes and Plans
Matt Murray, who was the editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, will replace Buzbee until the presidential election in November. After that, the newsroom will reorganize under the leadership of Robert Winnett, who is currently the deputy editor of the Telegraph Media Group. He will be in charge of the main news sections, which include features, sports, business, technology, investigations, and politics.
The report from the Post also mentions its plans to establish a new division of the newsroom aimed at adjusting to readers who prefer non-traditional ways to consume and pay for news. It will focus on service and social media journalism and operate autonomously.
Lewis said that the newly formed division would prioritize video storytelling, utilize artificial intelligence (AI), and provide variable payment options. He said that it would start in the fall season.
As a whole, the news industry's financial situation has been dire in recent years, and the Post is no exception. The newspaper lost $77 million last year, according to The Associated Post, due to a precipitous decline in subscriptions.
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