Thompson said, ” through it all, I’ve loved the people. The Post will always be home.’”
Surprise From Highest-Ranking Black Editor
- Update: WaPo pivots “third newsroom” to a more commercial venture (Sara Fischer, Axios)
Krissah Thompson, the Washington Post’s first and only managing editor for diversity who was subsequently chosen to lead the Post’s “Third Newsroom” initiative, is leaving the Post at the end of the month, Executive Editor Matt Murray announced to the Post staff Tuesday.
Thompson messaged Journal-isms, “”It’s a bittersweet transition, but one I’m embracing with gratitude. The buyout offers me the gift of time—to focus on my family at a key personal inflection point—and eventually relocate to Texas, a longtime goal.”
Thompson’s news follows Monday’s confirmation from associate editor Jonathan Capehart that he, too, is taking the buyout, and this from fellow Black opinion writer Perry Bacon Jr.:
Thompson said on LinkedIn: “Zora Neale Hurston wrote, ‘There are years that ask questions and years that answer.’ This is an answering year. I’m taking a break to focus on my family and reflect at a key personal inflection point. After some rest, I look forward to finding new ways to support journalists and the mission that brought me to this work in the first place.”
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Thompson’s departure became part of the campaign for president of the National Association of Black Journalists. At a campaign event at the National Press Club, presidential candidate Errin Haines of the 19th News criticized the current leadership for not issuing statements on Thompson’s service and that of NABJ co-founder Joe Davidson, both of whom are leaving the Post.
“NABJ used to say something,” Haines told the group of about 40 people, coupling that with claims of a lack of transparency. (Photo: Haines speaks at National Press Club. Credit: Richard Prince)
NABJ President Ken Lemon messaged Journal-isms Wednesday: “The vice president of print and I met with Founder Joe Davidson to discuss NABJ speaking out about his reasons for retirement from the Washington Post and how we acknowledge his legacy in journalism. As with every case of advocacy we consult with the member before taking action.
“We are looking into Krissah Thompson’s departure and how it affects our concerns with the Post.”
The third presidential candidate, Dion Rabouin, messaged Journal-isms, ” They’re ‘looking into it.’ If history is a guide, no one is looking into anything. NABJ has done zero follow-up after ‘looking into’ or ‘demanding answers’ from KTLA, MSNBC, WSJ (where they got the number of fellowships reduced after the company laid off every Black person on the masthead), CNN, ESPN, etc. This is an organization with $8 million in assets and over $2 million sitting in a checking account, but when Black folks vanish from newsrooms they ‘look into it’ and hold meetings and then nothing happens. It’s sad and it makes our organization look weak.” He referred to this campaign statement.
Lemon replied, “We have changed policy at KTLA, Tenga, and WSJ; we consulted with the journalists who were impacted first in each case. I have experience in advocacy with major media corporations that have produced change.
“I have also engaged in advocacy that led to changes at ABC, CBS, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, twice at Nexstar and Tegna.
“My advocacy resulted in rewriting the policy for natural hair for Black women on air and supporting the authority of Black female managers.
“Voters should ask candidates about their prior experience in advocacy, not what they say, but what they have done.”
Murray’s note read, in part:
“Last summer, Krissah took on the job of planning and ultimately of launching WP Ventures, aka The Third Newsroom, alongside Sam Henig, a high-wire effort to define a new kind of news initiative. She dove in with a hunger to learn, a drive to innovate, enormous curiosity and, of course, leadership.
“Krissah has been a mentor, counselor, and gut-check to many people over the years, with an open office door and a sound moral compass. Soon after I arrived last year, I quickly understood that she is an unerring source of good advice and support, who is both committed to change that helps us grow and who manifests an abiding love for The Post.
“Robin Givhan, who sat next to Krissah in Style, notes that while her rise in the newsroom coincided with remarkable events in the country and challenging times in the industry, Krissah has always leaned into new opportunities to advance our mission.
” ‘In every capacity, Krissah has been full of warmth, calm, good humor and unwavering journalistic excellence,’ Robin writes. ‘She is respected and admired in this newsroom because she understands and believes in the best of The Washington Post….But Krissah is beloved by this newsroom because she has a deep sense of humanity. Her aim is always to see the individual behind the byline, to recognize each person’s unique skills and to draw them out–recognizing that a newsroom’s strength is in its diversity.’
“For her part, when asked what she is most proud of, Krissah says:
• “The work we’ve done to strengthen diversity and inclusion — from expanding our internship programs with Howard and UMD [University of Maryland], to building the Careers & Culture team, to championing pay transparency and peer-to-peer training. I was honored to help relaunch Professional Partners with Maynard [the Maynard Institute] and assist HR’s Director of DEIB [diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging] as she launched our employee resource groups.
• “The journalism: helping to launch Deep Reads, championing His Name Is George Floyd, and serving as a top editor for award-winning work in audio and across departments. I’ve worked with so many remarkable journalists — Robin Givhan, Ben Terris and so, so many others — and it’s been a joy to help their work shine.
• “And, of course, WP Ventures — it’s been energizing to help the company look toward the future. I’m proud that it’s one of the areas employees are most excited about, alongside AI.”
“She adds: ‘And through it all, I’ve loved the people. The Post will always be home.’ ”
On July 28, 2020, then-Executive Editor Martin Baron announced that Thompson would be the first Black woman to rise to managing editor, no longer a title given only to one person at a time.
The former Style section writer “will be in charge of ensuring significant, consistent progress on diversity and inclusiveness in everything we do – our coverage of race, ethnicity and identity as well as improved recruitment, retention and career advancement for journalists of color,” Baron said in his 2020 statement. “She will have the strong backing of the newsroom’s senior leadership in that highest-priority effort. She will require the support of everyone.”
The next year, new Executive Editor Sally Buzbee gave Thompson added responsibility for climate and environmental coverage, features reporting and recruitment
In December, Murray, who has consistently praised Thompson, announced that she would become editor of WP Ventures, whose “goal is to explore how The Washington Post can effectively grow our reach, revenue and relevance with new audiences in a rapidly changing media landscape. A particular focus has been expanding our presence on social media and creating new commercial opportunities for consumer and lifestyle journalism, while accelerating innovation and cross-company collaboration.”
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