3 months ago
Fred Ryan, patient and CEO of the Washington Post, announced that he is stepping down aft 9 years astatine Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper. Ryan cited “the diminution successful civility” successful governmental sermon for his determination to time off nan Post and lead nan recently created nonpartisan Center connected Public Civility, launched by nan Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
In an earlier era, “Political leaders connected other sides of nan aisle could find communal crushed for nan bully of nan country,” Ryan wrote successful a memo to Washington Post staff. “Today, nan diminution successful civility has go a toxic and corrosive unit that threatens our societal interactions and weakens nan underpinnings of our democracy. I consciousness a beardown consciousness of urgency astir this issue.”
Ryan will stay patient of nan Washington Post until August. Amazon laminitis Bezos bought nan newspaper successful 2013 for $250 million.
Patty Stonesifer has been appointed interim CEO of nan Washington Post, wherever she will oversee nan activity squad and steer nan statement done a play of transition. Stonesifer was nan founding CEO of nan Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pursuing executive roles astatine Microsoft. She served connected nan committee of regents and was chair of nan Smithsonian Institution and nan White House Council for Community Solutions. She holds committee roles astatine Amazon, Rockefeller Foundation, Co-Impact and TheDream.us and was astir precocious President and CEO of Martha’s Table, a non-profit statement successful Washington, D.C., committed to supporting children, families and communities.
Stonesifer starts coming successful nan interim CEO role. She will beryllium managing nan modulation and starring nan hunt for a caller Washington Post Publisher and CEO.
“I person had nan privilege complete my profession of starring awesome organizations pinch a laser attraction connected serving their ngo and their communities. I person some respect and passion for nan ngo and nan publicity of The Washington Post – 1 of nan top newsrooms successful nan world – and I americium delighted to subordinate this squad successful supporting nan values and sustaining nan activity of this important institution,” Stonesifer said successful a statement.
Read Ryan’s memo to staff:
Dear Washington Post Colleagues,
Nine years ago, I was honored to beryllium selected by Jeff Bezos to beryllium Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post. Working pinch Jeff and nan exceptional squad astatine The Post has been an unthinkable acquisition and enormously gratifying.
Together, we person accomplished 1 of nan astir bonzer transformations successful modern media history. We person evolved from a chiefly section people newspaper to go a world integer publication. We’ve added importantly to nan tremendous squad of journalists, engineers and business experts and person taken The Post done aggregate years of profitability. We’ve launched an innovative caller exertion level that is powering hundreds of different news sites astir nan world.
During this time, we person won aggregate awards for exceptional journalism, including 13 Pulitzer Prizes, and we’ve doubly been named “The World’s Most Innovative Media Company” by Fast Company.
As I person shared successful conversations pinch galore of you, I person a heavy and increasing interest astir nan diminution successful civility and respectful speech successful our governmental process, connected societal media platforms and much broadly crossed our society. Many of america tin callback an era erstwhile group could disagree without being disagreeable. Political leaders connected other sides of nan aisle could find communal crushed for nan bully of nan country. Today, nan diminution successful civility has go a toxic and corrosive unit that threatens our societal interactions and weakens nan underpinnings of our democracy. I consciousness a beardown consciousness of urgency astir this issue.
As a result, I person decided to time off my position astatine The Post to lead nan nonpartisan Center connected Public Civility that is being launched by nan Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Jeff is personally providing support for nan readying and creation shape of this caller inaugural and supports my determination to make this move.
In bid to supply proposal and counsel during this transition, I person agreed to stay arsenic Publisher of The Washington Post until August 1. Jeff will denote a caller interim CEO later today. It is an exceptional individual that I clasp successful nan highest regard.
In nan weeks and months ahead, I look guardant to spending clip pinch each of my friends and colleagues crossed The Post to convey my heavy appreciation for your galore awesome contributions to our success. I americium committed to providing my afloat support arsenic nan interim CEO charts nan people of this modulation and nan agleam early up for The Post.
With my deepest appreciation to each of you,
Fred
