Rob Winnett Won’t Be Moving To The Washington Post As Next Editor

Rob Winnett will not be joining The Washington Post as editor this fall, the first major fallout after a staff revolt over CEO Will Lewis‘ abrupt change in newsroom leadership and reports that have raised ethical concerns.

Winnett, deputy editor of The Telegraph Media Group, has decided to stay in the UK. Chris Evans, the editor of the Telegraph, wrote in a memo to staffers, per the Post, “I’m pleased to report that Rob Winnett has decided to stay with us. As you all know, he’s a talented chap and their loss is our gain.”

Winnett was to have become editor as part of a restructured leadership plan laid out earlier this month by Lewis. Sally Buzbee, the executive editor, departed, and Winnett was to have overseen coverage areas including politics, investigations, business, technology, sports and features, while Matt Murray, the former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, was to oversee a new division dubbed the “third newsroom,” dedicated to winning over new readers with new types of content.

But the shakeup quickly ran into controversy among the newsroom staff, who questioned Lewis on the departure of Buzbee; how Winnett, one of his former colleagues, was selected; and the direction of the publication. Then there were reports that triggered further concerns over past editorial practices by Winnett and Lewis earlier in their careers in the UK.

Under plans set out earlier this month, Murray will lead the newsroom through the election. Winnett was to have become editor after that, and Murray would then shift to the “third newsroom” venture.

A Post spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

More to come.