The yard goodbye social gathering for Sally Buzbee, the just lately departed government editor of The Washington Put up, was starting to interrupt up on Sunday night when the newspaper printed a crucial investigation into her everlasting successor.
The headline: “Incoming Post editor tied to self-described ‘thief’ who claimed role in his reporting.”
The article targeted on Robert Winnett, the British journalist poised to take over The Put up’s newsroom in November, and described his hyperlinks to a non-public eye who used unethical media practices to land massive exclusives. It famous that Mr. Winnett had declined to remark to The Put up’s reporters — the identical ones he will likely be managing in just a few months.
The social gathering was a farewell gesture by Patty Stonesifer, who was briefly The Put up’s chief government final 12 months and is an in depth ally of Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and the paper’s proprietor. As a part of her job, Ms. Stonesifer helped recruit the brand new everlasting chief government, Will Lewis, whose reorganization of the newsroom prompted Ms. Buzbee’s resignation.
However the upcoming article contributed to an often awkward temper on the social gathering, held at Ms. Stonesifer’s dwelling in Washington’s upscale Cleveland Park neighborhood and attended by senior editors and executives, in line with two individuals with information of the social gathering.
It was simply the newest uneasy second for individuals at The Put up. Staff have been reeling in current weeks from successive revelations about Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett, who’re charged with turning round certainly one of America’s high information organizations. A day earlier than the social gathering, The New York Occasions reported that Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett had used stolen data for newspaper articles earlier of their careers in Britain. The Put up declined to touch upon that article.
On the social gathering, Ms. Buzbee stood as much as give remarks after Ms. Stonesifer inspired her to talk, three individuals who have been current mentioned.
Ms. Buzbee mentioned The Put up stood for holding highly effective individuals and establishments to account — particularly when it was arduous to do. That remark, the individuals on the social gathering mentioned, struck some there as a be aware of reward for The Put up’s aggressive protection of Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett over the previous two weeks.
The modifying of Sunday’s practically 3,000-word investigation was aided by Cameron Barr, a former senior managing editor who was introduced again as a advisor to assist shepherd The Put up’s protection of itself. Matt Murray, who’s overseeing The Put up’s newsroom on a short lived foundation, informed editors final week that he had recused himself from involvement in certainly one of The Put up’s articles that straight talked about him.
A spokeswoman for The Put up mentioned the newspaper coated itself “independently, rigorously and pretty,” including that Mr. Lewis had no position within the protection.
“Given perceived and potential conflicts, we now have requested former senior managing editor Cameron Barr, who stepped down from that place in 2023 and now has a contractual relationship as a senior affiliate editor, to supervise this protection,” the spokeswoman mentioned. She added that Mr. Murray and different high editors would evaluation and supply suggestions as properly.
The turmoil at The Put up began early this month when Ms. Buzbee abruptly resigned and Mr. Lewis introduced that she would get replaced briefly by Mr. Murray, a former high editor of The Wall Avenue Journal. On the similar time, Mr. Lewis introduced a serious restructuring of The Put up’s editorial hierarchy, together with a so-called third newsroom that will concentrate on social media, innovation and repair journalism. Below the plan, Mr. Murray would run the brand new division after the November election, when Mr. Winnett would take over as editor of the core information protection.
Mr. Lewis, who began within the high position in January, has been charged with making the publication worthwhile once more after a number of years of huge losses. He has been blunt with the employees concerning the firm’s enterprise struggles, together with a 50 % drop in viewers since 2020.
Days after Ms. Buzbee’s exit, The Occasions reported that she and Mr. Lewis clashed within the weeks main as much as her resignation over whether or not The Put up ought to cowl a growth in a phone-hacking court docket case involving Mr. Lewis. Mr. Lewis has denied pressuring Ms. Buzbee. In her feedback on the social gathering on Sunday, Ms. Buzbee mentioned she was pleased with her conduct in her closing weeks on the paper.
As well as, an NPR reporter disclosed that Mr. Lewis had beforehand provided him an unique interview if he stopped overlaying the phone-hacking case. Mr. Lewis mentioned he’d had an off-the-record dialog with the reporter, whom he described as “an activist, not a journalist.”
The unfolding controversy has unsettled many Put up journalists. Some have mentioned amongst themselves whether or not Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett share their ethics, three individuals accustomed to the matter mentioned.
On Monday, Mr. Murray tried to rally Put up editors throughout a morning assembly. He praised the paper’s article about Mr. Winnett and inspired them to stay targeted on the journalism, in line with two individuals accustomed to his remarks.
Mr. Lewis has already modified a few of his plans. This week he was anticipated to attend the annual Cannes Lions Worldwide Pageant of Creativity, a glittering confab within the south of France the place advertisers and media grandees mingle over glasses of rosé.
Mr. Lewis had informed choose attendees that as a part of his go to, he was organizing a “severely glam dinner” at an upscale restaurant, La Colombe d’Or, that will be one of the best invite of the 12 months and “set the tone for the upcoming week.”
On Sunday evening, invitees obtained a terse e-mail: The dinner was off.
