David Shipley, the editor of the Washington Post’s opinion page, has stepped down from his position over owner Jeff Bezos’ new direction for the paper.
Bezos announced Shipley’s resignation in a letter to staff on Wednesday saying the editor was not on board with his plan to turn the Post’s opinion section into a mouthpiece for two traditionally conservative ideas.
“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets,” Bezos wrote. “We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
Bezos said he gave Shipley an opportunity to stay on as editor and execute his new vision for the Post’s opinion section, but the veteran editor decided to step aside.
“I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t “hell yes,” then it had to be “no.” After careful consideration, David decided to step away,” Bezos wrote. “This is a significant shift, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision.”
Bezos added that he will be searching for a new opinion editor “to own this new direction.”
Several Post journalists slammed the decision and threatened to resign if Bezos takes similar steps to interference on the news side.
“Massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section today – makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there,” wrote Post chief economics reporter Jeff Stein. “I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know.”
“As a hard-news journalist at The Washington Post, there’s no shortage of important news to cover. I will keep digging in. As I’ve stated before: Nothing changes. We ask hard questions and hold those in power to account. That’s the job, whether those in power like it or not,” wrote the Post’s military affairs reporter Dan Lamothe.
“Anyone reading regularly knows we’ve landed a series of scoops in recent days about the Defense Department. I’m not shifting my coverage. That is my job,” he continued. “I have no expectation that will change. But should I be told otherwise, I will need a Plan B.”
“what the actual fuck” columnist Philip Bump wrote.
