CNN

Washington Post publisher Will Lewis reportedly tried to kill story about his involvement in UK hacking scandal

Jun 6, 2024, 7:14 PM

William Lewis, the new publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post, reportedly tried to ki...

William Lewis, the new publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post, reportedly tried to kill a story about his alleged involvement in a UK phone hacking scandal coverup, offering an NPR reporter an interview in exchange for squashing the forthcoming article. (Carlotta Cardana/Bloomberg/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

(Carlotta Cardana/Bloomberg/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

(CNN) — William Lewis, the new publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post, reportedly tried to kill a story about his alleged involvement in a UK phone hacking scandal coverup, offering an NPR reporter an interview in exchange for squashing the forthcoming article.

The decade-old UK scandal that engulfed right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s “News of the World” tabloid, was revived in recent years in a new lawsuit filed by Prince Harry and other notable figures including Guy Ritchie and Hugh Grant. At the time, Lewis was a senior executive at Murdoch’s News Corporation. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

On Thursday, veteran NPR media reporter David Folkenflik reported that in December, Lewis, who had just been named publisher and chief executive of the Post, offered him an exclusive interview in exchange for his willingness not to publish a story on Lewis’ potential involvement in the scandal.

“In several conversations, Lewis repeatedly — and heatedly —offered to give me an exclusive interview about the Post’s future, as long as I dropped the story about the allegations,” Folkenflik reported. “At that time, the same spokesperson, who works directly for Lewis from the U.K. and has advised him since his days at the Wall Street Journal — confirmed to me that an explicit offer was on the table: drop the story, get the interview.”

The Washington Post did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

Despite Lewis’ attempt to squash the story, NPR published the article in late December under the headline “New ‘Washington Post’ CEO accused of Murdoch tabloid hacking cover-up,” featuring a 2011 photo of Lewis with Murdoch.

The revelation came a day after The New York Times reported that Lewis had clashed in recent weeks with former Post executive editor Sally Buzbee over a decision to publish an article in May about the hacking scandal that named Lewis. According to the Times, Lewis told Buzbee the story didn’t warrant coverage in the newspaper.

“When Ms. Buzbee said The Post would publish an article anyway, he said her decision represented a lapse in judgment and abruptly ended the conversation,” the Times reported.

A person with knowledge of Buzbee’s account confirmed the conversation to CNN, adding that the then-executive editor felt pressured by Lewis over the story.

Days later, when the judge in the UK case allowed allegations about Lewis to be included in the lawsuit, the Post published another story naming him.

On Sunday night, the Post abruptly announced Buzbee was departing the newspaper and was being immediately replaced by former Wall Street Journal editor Matt Murray in a seismic shakeup at the outlet.

“Sally is an incredible leader and a supremely talented media executive who will be sorely missed,” Lewis said in a statement. “I wish her all the best going forward.”

Notably, Buzbee did not offer a farewell note to staff.

Staffers at the Post who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity said that newsroom morale had plummeted in the wake Buzbee’s departure and published reports about Lewis.

The news comes two weeks after Lewis unveiled a new plan to turn around the beleaguered newspaper, telling staff the company had lost $77 million over the last year and seen a dramatic 50% plunge in audience traffic since 2020.

“To speak candidly,” Lewis told staffers, “we are in a hole, and we have been for some time.”

KSL 5 TV Live

CNN

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Headquarters in Washington, DC on Oct. 8. (Kent Nishimura, ...

Mary Kay Mallonee, CNN

FEMA employee fired after telling relief team to skip houses with Trump signs following Florida hurricane

 A Federal Emergency Management Agency employee has been fired after they advised their disaster relief team to avoid homes with signs supporting former President Donald Trump while canvassing in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

2 hours ago

The Crew-8 astronauts are seen before heading to the launchpad on March 3. The group includes (from...

CNN

‘It’s hard to sit’: NASA astronauts are readjusting to life on Earth

NASA astronauts who were part of the SpaceX Crew-8 team discussed their 235-day mission on the International Space Station that ended in hospitalizations.

1 day ago

Sudafed and other common nasal decongestants containing pseudoephedrine are on display behind the c...

Jeffrey Kopp, CNN

FDA moves to pull popular decongestant from shelves amid effectiveness concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration announced a proposal to remove oral phenylephrine – a common ingredient in many popular over-the-counter decongestants – from the market, citing evidence that it doesn’t work.

2 days ago

Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit and Ben ahead of October's Tennessee Volunteers and Arkansas Razor...

David Close, CNN

Ben, the famed, beloved dog of college football’s Kirk Herbstreit, has passed away

Ben, Kirk Herbstreit’s adorable golden retriever, who has induced countless smiles on so many college campuses over the past two years, has passed away, according to the ESPN “College GameDay” football analyst.

2 days ago

At least 800 firefighters were working to contain the Mountain Fire on South Mountain in Ventura Co...

Karina Tsui, CNN

25 million people in California face ‘life-threatening’ fire warning

Powerful winds that fueled fast-moving wildfires across Southern California this week are expected to pick up momentum on Thursday—worsening conditions for firefighters already battling limited visibility to save lives.

2 days ago

The emperor penguin, pictured on Ocean Beach near Denmark, Western Australia....

Jack Guy, CNN

Emperor penguin turns up on Australian beach, thousands of miles from home

An emperor penguin surprised locals when it appeared on a beach in Australia after making an epic journey of thousands of miles from its home in Antarctica.

3 days ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Washington Post publisher Will Lewis reportedly tried to kill story about his involvement in UK hacking scandal