Sally Buzbee Steps Down as The Washington Post’s First Female Executive Editor, CEO Announces Replacement

Sally Buzbee, The Washington Post’s first female executive editor, has made a surprising exit after three years in the role. The announcement was made by CEO William Lewis on Sunday. This development marks the biggest shakeup at the struggling newspaper since Lewis took over as CEO earlier this year.

In an email to the staff, Lewis revealed plans to launch a new division of the newsroom by the end of the year. This division will focus on “service and social media journalism,” catering to audiences who have different preferences in consuming and paying for news. The goal is to offer compelling, exciting, and accurate news to millions of Americans who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be well-informed.

Lewis stated that he will oversee the new division after the upcoming presidential election in November. Additionally, Robert Winnett, a veteran of Telegraph Media Group, will take on the newly created role of editor.

Before her time at The Washington Post, Buzbee held the position of executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press. During her tenure there, she oversaw the AP’s global news wires operation and led the team to win the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in 2019 for their investigation into atrocities in the war in Yemen.

Buzbee’s departure comes at a challenging financial time for The Washington Post. According to their own reporting, the newspaper faced a loss of $77 million last year. In an effort to cut costs, they offered buyouts to hundreds of employees in October.

Overall, this sudden leadership change and the introduction of a new division at The Washington Post indicate a shift in strategy for the newspaper. By adapting to changes in audience preferences and exploring new avenues for news delivery, they aim to remain relevant and sustainable in an ever-evolving media landscape.