Sally Buzbee Departs As Executive Editor Of The Washington Post

Ted Johnson

2 June 2024 at 9:15 pm·2-min read

Sally Buzbee is stepping down as executive editor of The Washington Post after three years, as the publication plans to alter the structure of the newsroom leadership.

Matt Murray, former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, will succeed Buzbee through the 2024 election. Then, Robert Winnett, deputy editor of The Telegraph Media Group, will take on the new role as editor of the Post, responsible for overseeing core coverage areas including politics, investigations, business, technology, sports and features.

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The newsroom restructuring will include the creation of a new division “dedicated to better serving audiences who want to consume and pay for news differently from traditional offerings.” That will include service and social media journalism that is run separately from the core news operation, the Post said.

Buzbee’s exit is the biggest leadership shake up at the Jeff Bezos-owned media property since new publisher and CEO Will Lewis joined the publication in January.

Lewis recently unveiled a new plan to boost readership and revenue. Last year, the Post underwent buyouts, trimming staff by about 240, following earlier efforts to cut costs, including eliminating its weekly magazine. According to The New York Times, Lewis told employees at a recent town hall that the Post lost more than $70 million in 2023 while undergoing a significant drop in its audience.

Lewis’ “Build It” plan is aimed at creating news content for a broader range of readers, with more emphasis on video, the use of AI and a series of payment tiers.

In a statement, Lewis said, “Sally is an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed. I wish her all the best going forward.”

Murray worked at The Wall Street Journal for 29 years, service as editor in chief from 2018 until earlier this year. Winnett, who has been with Telegraph Media Group’s news operations since 2013, will transition to the role of editor this fall, and Murray will then start as leader of the new newsroom division.

Murray, Winnett and Editorial Page Editor David Shipley will report to Lewis.

The aim of the new division is “to give the millions of Americans – who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed –compelling, exciting and accurate news where they are and in the style that they want,” the Post said.

“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,” Lewis said in a statement.

Under Buzbee, the Post has continued to win major awards, including three Pulitzer Prizes this year. She joined the Post in 2021 from the Associated Press, succeeding longtime executive editor Martin Baron.

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