Media Moves

WaPo publisher CEO Ryan to depart in August

June 14, 2023

Posted by Mariam Ahmed

The following excerpt was sent out from The Washington Post:

Fred Ryan

The Washington Post today announced Fred Ryan, Publisher and CEO, is stepping down to lead a newly formed nonpartisan Center on Public Civility at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. He will remain publisher of The Washington Post until August. Patty Stonesifer has been appointed interim CEO of The Washington Post, where she will oversee the leadership team and steer the organization through a period of transition.

Ryan has served as Publisher and CEO for the past 9 years. Under his leadership, The Post saw multiple years of profitability; vastly expanded digital subscriptions; expanded its international reach with 24/7 hubs for around-the-clock live and breaking news coverage; launched Arc XP, an industry-leading, cloud-based digital platform that serves more than 1,900 sites in 28 countries; formed The Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership, a coalition of 8 organizations that raises awareness of the fundamentals of press freedom and what is at stake for democracy; and extended the reach of Washington Post journalism through a partnership with CAA and Imagine Entertainment. The Post has also won multiple awards for exceptional journalism under Ryan’s tenure, including 13 Pulitzer Prizes, and twice been named “The World’s Most Innovative Media Company“ by Fast Company.

“During my time at The Washington Post, we have evolved from a primarily local print newspaper to become a global digital publication and added significantly to our ranks of journalists, engineers and business teams, taking The Post through multiple years of profitability. I will always be proud to have been part of one of the most extraordinary transformations in modern media history,” said Ryan. “I feel a strong sense of urgency in my next steps to address the decline in civility and respectful dialogue in our political process. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the new Center on Public Civility which will play an important role in support of our democracy.”

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