Washington Post shakes up leadership as Buzbee steps down

The Washington Post is undergoing a period of significant change. Sally Buzbee, the first woman to lead the Post in its 144-year history, has stepped down as executive editor, the newspaper said in a statement. She had joined the company as executive editor in 2021, replacing longtime newsroom leader Marty Barron. Under her leadership, The Washington Post has won significant awards, including the recent Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. Her departure comes amid financial challenges and a broader strategy shift implemented by Will Lewis who started as CEO in January.

New leadership structure

Matt Murray, former editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal, will take the helm on an interim basis. After the November elections, he will lead a new newsroom division focused on social and service journalism, catering to audiences who feel disconnected from traditional news. “I’m deeply honored to join such a storied news institution with its long, rich history of memorable and impactful journalism and want to thank Sally for her great leadership,” said Murray. “I am excited by Will and Jeff’s vision for The Post’s next era of growth and reinvention and can’t wait to get started.”

Robert Winnett, currently deputy editor of the Telegraph Media Group, will assume a newly created role of Editor, overseeing core coverage areas like politics, investigations, and business. This new structure reflects Lewis’s goal to diversify the Post’s offerings and reach new audiences. “By creating three, strong, journalism functions – Core, Service/Social and Opinions – we are taking a definitive step away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach and moving towards meeting our audiences where they are,” said Lewis. The new newsroom division will be operational by the third quarter of this year.

Financial pressures and strategic shift

The Post, like many news outlets, faces declining traffic and subscriptions. Lewis aims to reverse the trend by placing subscriptions at the heart of the business model. He is also looking to revamp the editorial approach to better align with financial goals. Buzbee’s efforts to expand coverage beyond politics fell short of the desired results, highlighting the challenge of attracting new readers while maintaining core strengths.