After editor's departure, Washington Post's publisher faces questions about phone hacking stories
The Washington Post's new CEO and publisher, Will Lewis, is facing questions about whether he made recent efforts to conceal his involvement in the aftermath of a British phone hacking scandal a decade ago
NEW YORK — The Washington Post's new publisher is facing questions about whether he made efforts to conceal — in his own newspaper and elsewhere — his involvement in a British phone hacking scandal from his time working for Rupert Murdoch a decade ago.
The weeklong saga, which began with the abrupt departure of the Post's executive editor Sunday night, offers a window into differences between approaches to journalism in Britain and the United States — and touches on delicate issues of trust in the American media community as it approaches a contentious and seismic presidential election.
The publisher and CEO, Will Lewis, has denied any wrongdoing in Britain and at the Post.
Lewis, a former publisher of The Wall Street Journal, arrived in January to turn around the Post, which is awash in red ink and seen its digital readership drop by a half since 2020. Lewis is also the vice chairman of The Associated Press' board of directors.
He announced a restructuring plan on Sunday that did not include the top news executive, Sally Buzbee, who apparently was either forced out or chose not to accept a demotion. Buzbee, the former top news executive at the AP, has led the Post newsroom for three years. She has not talked about her departure.
This week, The New York Times reported that Lewis told Buzbee in a phone conversation last month that a development in litigation by Prince Harry about the phone hacking scandal did not warrant coverage in the Post.
That sprawling case involved the alleged interception of voicemails of
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