“Time TV”
—
The last decade-old UK scandal that engulfed right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s “Information of the World” tabloid, was revived in recent times in a new lawsuit filed by Prince Harry and different notable figures together with Man Ritchie and Hugh Grant. On the time, Lewis was a senior government at Murdoch’s Information Company. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
On Thursday, veteran NPR media reporter David Folkenflik reported that in December, Lewis, who had simply been named writer and chief government of the Submit, supplied him an unique interview in trade for his willingness to not publish a narrative on Lewis’ potential involvement within the scandal.
“In a number of conversations, Lewis repeatedly — and heatedly —supplied to present me an unique interview concerning the Submit’s future, so long as I dropped the story concerning the allegations,” Folkenflik reported. “At the moment, the identical spokesperson, who works instantly for Lewis from the U.Ok. and has suggested him since his days on the Wall Road Journal — confirmed to me that an express supply was on the desk: drop the story, get the interview.”
The Washington Submit didn’t instantly reply to a “Time TV” request for remark.
Regardless of Lewis’ try to squash the story, NPR revealed the article in late December below the headline “New ‘Washington Submit’ CEO accused of Murdoch tabloid hacking cover-up,” that includes a 2011 photograph of Lewis with Murdoch.
The revelation got here a day after The New York Occasions reported that Lewis had clashed in current weeks with former Submit government editor Sally Buzbee over a choice to publish an article in Could concerning the hacking scandal that named Lewis. In line with the Occasions, Lewis informed Buzbee the story didn’t warrant protection within the newspaper.
“When Ms. Buzbee stated The Submit would publish an article anyway, he stated her determination represented a lapse in judgment and abruptly ended the dialog,” the Occasions reported.
Days later, when the decide within the UK case allowed allegations about Lewis to be included within the lawsuit, the Submit revealed one other story naming him.
On Sunday evening, the Submit abruptly introduced Buzbee was departing the newspaper and was being instantly changed by former Wall Road Journal editor Matt Murray in a seismic shakeup on the outlet.
“Sally is an unimaginable chief and a supremely proficient media government who shall be sorely missed,” Lewis stated in a press release. “I want her all the most effective going ahead.”
Notably, Buzbee didn’t supply a farewell be aware to employees.
Staffers on the Submit who spoke to “Time TV” on situation of anonymity stated that newsroom morale had plummeted within the wake Buzbee’s departure and revealed reviews about Lewis.
The information comes two weeks after Lewis unveiled a brand new plan to show across the beleaguered newspaper, telling employees the corporate had misplaced $77 million over the past 12 months and seen a dramatic 50% plunge in viewers visitors since 2020.
“To talk candidly,” Lewis informed staffers, “we’re in a gap, and we’ve been for a while.”
