Washington Post columnist resigns after piece critical of Bezos shelved
What's the story
Ruth Marcus, an associate editor of the Washington Post, has quit after CEO Will Lewis decided to cancel her opinion piece critical of Jeff Bezos's recent changes to the paper. In her resignation letter to Lewis and the billionaire owner, Marcus said she was sad to leave the publication she loved. At the same time, she said she was honored to write commentary that readers of the Post could know would consist of her "best independent judgment."
Policy shift
Bezos's policy change sparks controversy
Last month, Bezos announced a new editorial policy for the opinion section that appeared to more closely align the newspaper with the political right. It stated that only columns supporting "personal liberties and free markets" would be published. It generated a huge backlash from the Post's digital readers as more than 75,000 subscriptions were canceled within 48 hours. David Shipley, the opinions editor, also stepped down after failing to dissuade Bezos from implementing these new mandates.
Letter details
Marcus's resignation letter highlights concerns
Marcus also expressed concerns about the new policy in her letter, saying it could undermine readers' trust. She argued the policy change would make readers question whether columnists are expressing their genuine views or just what the owner has deemed acceptable. She also criticized CEO Lewis for deciding not to run a column she wrote that respectfully dissented from Bezos's new rules.
Departure
Marcus's experience and final thoughts
In a statement shared with NPR, The Washington Post said it was grateful for Ruth's significant contributions to The Washington Post over the past 40 years." "We respect her decision to leave and wish her the best," The Post said. Prior to the paper policy change, Bezos canceled a planned endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in October. That prompted 300,000 digital subscribers to cancel in the days that followed.