The editor recently tapped to run The Washington Post won’t take the job after all, the chief executive of the newspaper announced Friday morning, following a series of reports that raised questions about his links to journalistic practices in Britain that would be considered unethical in the United States.
Will Lewis, the publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post, told staff in a note that the editor, Robert Winnett, withdrew from the position and plans to remain in the United Kingdom, where he is deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph.
“We will immediately launch a new search for Editor of our core coverage. We will soon announce both the recruiting firm and process we will utilize 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 engulfed in a furor over Winnett’s hiring and other issues, including the exit of the newspaper’s previous top editor, 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 he used unethical practices to land information.
Winnett and Lewis both came under fire after The New York Times reported that the men used fraudulently obtained phone and company records in newspaper articles when they worked as journalists in London two decades ago. NBC News has not independently confirmed that reporting.
The two men worked closely in the United Kingdom, where they jointly cultivated a reputation for beating the competition and landing exclusives. In the U.S., their alleged reporting practices would be considered violations of ethical codes, including at 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 drew wide public attention during Donald Trump’s presidency, but it has since trailed behind competitors, including the Times.
The Daily Telegraph did not immediately reply 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 “fortunate to have the leadership of Matt Murray, who will continue in his role as Executive Editor until after the U.S. elections.”
The Post is owned by the billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who purchased the storied newspaper in 2013 for roughly $250 million. In a memo earlier this week, Bezos said that the “journalistic standards and ethics of The Post will not change.” But he also stressed that the newspaper needs to “change as a business.”
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