New Washington Post editor decides not to take job amid ethical concerns

The editor recently chosen to run The Washington Post will not take the job, the paper’s chief executive announced on Friday morning, following a series of reports that raised questions about his links to journalistic practices in Britain that would be considered unethical in Britain. the United States.

Will Lewis, editor and chief executive of The Washington Post, told staff in a note that editor Robert Winnett has stepped down and plans to remain in the United Kingdom, where he is deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph.

“We will immediately launch a new Editor search for our main coverage. We will soon announce the recruiting firm and process we will use to ensure a timely but thorough search for this important leadership role,” Lewis said in the message to staff.

In recent weeks, the Washington Post has been embroiled in a furore over Winnett’s hiring and other issues, including the departure of the paper’s previous editor-in-chief, Sally Buzbee, the first woman to lead the newsroom. The New York Times and The Post reported on Winnett’s ties to a private investigator who confirmed that he used unethical practices to obtain information.

Winnett and Lewis were attacked later The New York Times reported that the men used fraudulently obtained telephone and company records in newspaper articles when they worked as journalists in London two decades ago. NBC News has not independently confirmed this report.

The two men worked closely in the UK, where they jointly cultivated a reputation for beating the competition and securing exclusives. In the US, its alleged reporting practices would be considered violations of ethical codes, including in an institution like the Post.

The leadership turmoil comes as the Post tries to reverse a precipitous decline in Internet traffic and readership. The newspaper attracted widespread public attention during Donald Trump’s presidency, but has since lagged behind competitors, including the Times.

The Daily Telegraph did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Winnett’s decision to remain in Britain.

Lewis, in his message to staff members, said in part that the Post was “thrilled to have the leadership of Matt Murray, who will continue in his role as Executive Editor until after the U.S. election.”

The Post is owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who bought the famous newspaper in 2013 for around $250 million. In a memo earlier this week, Bezos said the Post’s “journalistic standards and ethics will not change.” But he also emphasized that the newspaper needs to “change as a business.”