Calls for Will Lewis to resign as CEO of The Washington Post have intensified following accusations of unethical journalism practices during his tenure as an editor at the London-based Sunday Times in the early 2000s.
According to CNN, Lewis allegedly engaged in or condoned phone hacking, a practice where journalists or investigators illegally access voicemails or phone records of individuals to obtain private information. The report also claims that he and his team paid sources for confidential or sensitive information, which is against ethical guidelines that uphold the principle of not paying for news access.
Additionally, there are suggestions that Lewis may have misused company resources, such as unauthorized access to databases or records, to obtain information.
If proven, these practices would constitute serious breaches of journalistic ethics and standards, particularly in terms of privacy invasion and integrity in news reporting. Such allegations have raised ethical concerns not only within The Washington Post but also among journalism ethics bodies.
The Washington Post and Will Lewis
To make matters worse, Will Lewis' control or influence over the operations and decisions within The Washington Post's newsroom is also weakening, according to the publisher itself.
The Post has expressed concerns about CEO Will Lewis's decisions regarding key personnel appointments and potential conflicts of interest, further complicating his leadership challenges. Reports from The Wrap suggested that Lewis' weakening internal influence within the newspaper escalated after he clashed with executive editor Sally Buzbee over the paper's coverage of the Prince Harry phone hacking scandal in the United Kingdom.
Specifically, Lewis opposed the paper's plan to mention his potential involvement in the scheme, deeming it unworthy of coverage. Despite his objections, Buzbee proceeded with the story, ultimately leading to Buzbee's unexpected resignation.
Experts believe his leadership may undermine the newspaper's commitment to ethical journalism and its standing in the industry.
Neither The Washington Post nor CEO Will Lewis has issued a statement yet.
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