Sally Buzbee, the editor-in-chief of The Washington Post, has resigned from her position following a clash with CEO Will Lewis over the publication of an article related to Lewis’ involvement in a British phone hacking scandal.
According to sources, the incident occurred in mid-May when Buzbee informed Lewis that the newsroom planned to cover a judge’s ruling in a long-running British legal case involving Prince Harry and others against Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids. The judge was expected to decide whether Lewis’ name could be added to a list of executives accused of concealing hacking evidence. Lewis argued that the case did not merit coverage, but Buzbee insisted on publishing the article.
Although Lewis did not prevent the publication of the article, the incident reportedly unsettled Buzbee, who sought advice from confidants outside The Post. The article was published on May 21, when the judge ruled that Lewis’ name could be added to the case.
Buzbee’s resignation was not solely due to the hacking case coverage. She was already considering her future at the paper due to a reorganization plan proposed by Lewis in April. Lewis had offered Buzbee a position overseeing a new division focused on social media and service journalism, which she perceived as a demotion from her role as executive editor. Lewis, who was appointed by Jeff Bezos, The Post’s owner, has been tasked with remaking the publication amid declining audience numbers and huge financial losses. He has proposed a strategy to overhaul the business, which includes splitting the editorial ranks into three divisions: a core newsroom covering politics, business, and other topics; an opinion section; and a new division for social media and service journalism, including wellness and lifestyle coverage.
At a tense staff meeting on Monday, Lewis defended his business strategy, highlighting The Post’s $77 million loss the previous year and a 50% audience decline since 2020. “Let’s not sugarcoat it. It needs turning around, right?” he said. Buzbee’s resignation has raised questions about the future of The Washington Post and the impact of Lewis’ reorganization plan on the publication’s editorial direction.
