Bezos Reshapes The Washington Post's Opinion Section

Key Points:

• Jeff Bezos announced significant changes to the opinion section.
• The focus will be on free markets and personal liberties.
• David Shipley will step down as opinions editor.
• Bezos aims for clarity in the paper's stance on opinions.

Changes Announced

On Wednesday, Jeff Bezos declared that The Washington Post's opinion pages will now promote two main themes: free markets and personal liberties. He communicated this shift in an email to the staff, emphasizing that while other topics will be covered, opposing viewpoints will not be part of the discussion.

Leadership Updates

As part of this transition, the current opinions editor, David Shipley, will resign. Bezos mentioned that he had offered Shipley a chance to stay on and implement the new vision for the section.

Perspective on the Changes

Bezos reflected on the evolving role of newspapers, stating, “There was a time when a newspaper...might have seen it as a service...to bring a broad-based opinion section...today, the internet does that job.”

Internal Reaction

The announcement received some pushback from staff members, leading to concerns about Bezos's influence on the news side of the publication. Jeff Stein, the paper’s chief economic correspondent, noted his apprehension about the potential impact on journalistic integrity, stating: “If Bezos tries interfering with the news side, I will be quitting immediately.”

Conclusion

CEO Will Lewis supported the direction chosen by Bezos, asserting it offers "clarity" on what The Washington Post stands for. The search for Shipley’s successor will focus on someone who fully embraces the new themes of free markets and personal liberties.