The scandal that has rocked the leadership and editorial staff of The Washington Post has resulted in the withdrawal of British editor Robert Winnett, who had been chosen to lead the newspaper. Despite being approved by CEO Will Willis and owner Jeff Bezos, Winnett’s association with a private investigator who used unethical means to gather information led to his decision to step aside. John Ford, the investigator, had admitted to using deceptive tactics to obtain information, including recordings of conversations and tapping phones, and selling them to editors, including Winnett.
Winnett’s withdrawal was a blow to The Post and Lewis, the CEO, who had hired him as part of an editorial shakeup. However, Lewis himself came under scrutiny after reports that he had tried to delay a story about his involvement in a phone hacking scandal in the UK. The situation raised concerns among journalists about the ethical standards at The Post and the leadership of the newspaper.
The use of deceptive tactics in news gathering violates ethical standards in American journalism, and the connection to practices like “blagging” in the UK highlighted the differences in journalistic ethics between the two countries. It remains to be seen if Winnett’s departure will calm the turmoil at The Post or if further actions will be taken to address concerns about leadership and ethics at the newspaper.