Sally Buzbee steps down as Washington Post editor over UK phone-hacking coverage dispute.
Sally Buzbee resigned as The Washington Post’s editor, weeks after a disagreement with the publication’s CEO over reporting a British phone-hacking case involving him. Sources say Buzbee informed Will Lewis of the newsroom’s plan to cover an upcoming court ruling on whether he could be named in the long-running royal family lawsuit against tabloids.
Lewis argued against coverage, but Buzbee pushed for it. While the Post published the article when the judge ruled, the incident unsettled Buzbee.
Her departure was also due to unease over Lewis’s organizational restructuring proposal to focus on social media and lifestyle content.
Buzbee was key to the Post’s journalistic reputation, which was built under owner Jeff Bezos, but Lewis has outlined cost-cutting goals after huge financial losses.
At a staff meeting, he defended splitting the newsroom into specialized divisions and recruiting familiar editors like Robert Winnett.
Lewis acknowledged that circulation and profit declines necessitate urgent changes. This move highlights tensions between traditional news values and business priorities.
Buzbee’s resignation raises concerns about editorial independence at the prestigious publication, but Lewis says decisive steps were needed to turn its fortunes around.
