Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, announced that he will step down after nine years at the paper owned by Jeff Bezos. Ryan cited “the decline of civility” in political discourse, and “more broadly throughout our society,” for his decision to leave the Post to lead the newly created nonpartisan Center for Public Civility, launched by the Foundation and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Institute.
In an earlier era, “Political leaders on opposite sides of the aisle could find common ground for the good of the country,” Ryan wrote in a Washington Post staff memo announcing his departure. “Today, declining civility has become a toxic and corrosive force that threatens our social interactions and weakens the foundations of our democracy. I feel a strong sense of urgency about this issue.” (Read his note below.)
Ryan said he will remain editor of the Washington Post until Aug. 1. Amazon founder Bezos bought the newspaper in 2013 for $250 million.
Prior to joining the Post in September 2014, Ryan was president and CEO of Politico, which he co-founded in 2007. From 1995 to 2014, Ryan also served as president and COO of Allbritton Communications, a group of broadcasting and cable television (sold to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2014).
The Washington Post said Patty Stonesifer has been named interim CEO, effective immediately, overseeing the leadership team and leading the organization “through a period of transition.” Stonesifer will lead the Post’s search for a new editor and general manager.
Stonesifer was the founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after serving in executive roles at Microsoft. She served on the board of regents and chaired the Smithsonian Institution and the White House Council for Community Solutions. Stonesifer serves on the boards of Amazon, The Rockefeller Foundation, Co-Impact, and TheDream.us and most recently served as President and CEO of Martha’s Table, a Washington, DC, non-profit organization committed to supporting children , families and communities.
“I have had the privilege during my career of leading large organizations with a laser-like focus on serving their mission and their communities. I have respect and passion for the mission and journalism of The Washington Post, one of the world’s greatest newsrooms , and I am delighted to join this team to support the values and sustain the work of this important institution,” said Stonesifer. in a statement.
Read Ryan’s note to staff:
Dear Washington Post Colleagues,
Nine years ago, I had the honor of being tapped by Jeff Bezos to serve as editor and CEO of The Washington Post. Working with Jeff and the exceptional team at The Post has been an incredible and immensely rewarding experience.
Together, we have achieved one of the most extraordinary transformations in the history of modern media. We have evolved from a primarily local print newspaper to a global digital publication. We have added significantly to the huge team of journalists, engineers and business experts and have led The Post through several years of profitability. We’ve launched an innovative new technology platform that powers hundreds of other news sites around the world.
During that time, we’ve won several awards for outstanding journalism, including 13 Pulitzer Prizes, and Fast Company has twice named us “The World’s Most Innovative Media Company.”
As I have shared in conversations with many of you, I have a deep and growing concern about the decline of civility and respectful dialogue in our political process, on social media platforms, and in our society at large. Many of us can remember a time when people could disagree without being nasty. Political leaders from opposite sides of the aisle could find common ground for the good of the country. Today, the decline of civility has become a toxic and corrosive force that threatens our social interactions and weakens the foundations of our democracy. I feel a strong sense of urgency about this issue.
As a result, I have decided to leave my post at The Post to lead the nonpartisan Center for Public Citizenship that is being launched by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Institute and Foundation. Jeff is personally providing support for the planning and design phase of this new initiative and supports my decision to make this move.
In order to provide advice and counsel during this transition, I have agreed to remain editor of The Washington Post until August 1. Jeff will announce a new interim CEO later today. He is an exceptional person for whom I have the highest regard.
In the coming weeks and months, I look forward to spending time with all of my friends and colleagues at The Post to convey my deep appreciation for your many impressive contributions to our success. I am committed to offering my full support as the interim CEO charts the course for this transition and the bright future ahead for The Post.
With my deepest gratitude to each of you,
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