UK Journalist Backs Out of Washington Post Job

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Facts

• Washington Post publisher Will Lewis announced Friday that British journalist Robert Winnett had backed out of joining the paper as its next chief editor following controversy about his appointment. Winnett will instead remain at the British newspaper The Telegraph.¹
• Recent reports out of the New York Times and Washington Post detailed alleged connections between Winnett and a private investigator who had acknowledged using unethical means to obtain information, including hacking into phones.²
• The phone hacking incidents date back to Lewis's tenure at News International, the parent company of the now-defunct News of the World, during which journalists allegedly hacked the phones of high-profile British individuals.³
• Lewis worked with Winnett at both The Telegraph and The Sunday Times and has also been accused of engaging in news practices considered unethical.³
• While Lewis has denied wrongdoing, interviews with Washington Post staff reportedly show a growing impatience with the publisher.¹
• Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos has shown support for Lewis, however, stating Tuesday that his paper's leaders are committed to maintaining 'journalistic standards and ethics.'⁴

Sources: ¹CNN, ²New York Times, ³Washington Post and ⁴wsj.com.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by CNN. While a Winnett-free Washington Post is a good start, Bezos needs to step up and get rid of Lewis. The Post has a storied history of hiring the best and brightest journalists, character traits that seem to be missing in the current publisher.
• Right narrative, as provided by Townhall. The progressives at the Post are throwing a fit not over ethics concerns but rather over worry that Lewis, who used to work for Rupert Murdoch's companies, will lead a conservative revolt. As Bezos subsidizes the failing paper — which lost $77M last year — with his own wealth, the liberal newsroom should focus on writing better stories.

Predictions