WaPo writer decries new policy at paper that doesn’t engage: ‘I couldn’t disagree more’

The Washington Post’s in-house news critic has slammed the paper’s new policy of avoiding anonymity as the news platform continues to grapple with turmoil.

Erik Wemple, The Post’s resident news industry expert, fielded questions from readers during a live chat Monday about the ongoing drama plaguing the paper’s “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” including the recent resignation of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes behind her bosses. has rejected a portrait of him showing billionaire Post Office owner Jeff Bezos hurling himself at President-elect Donald Trump.

Wemple was asked specifically why The Post had not covered Telnaes’ exit from the paper.

“The Post has a long history of warts-and-all coverage of its internal issues. But there’s nothing from the news desk about this issue — just an AP story that we posted on our website,” Wemple responded. “I asked the editor-in-chief Matt Murray about how the newspaper is changing in its workplace, and here is the answer I got: ‘I made a policy that we should not associate ourselves. I always felt that there are many conflicts that are inherent. The interests of organizations in that, but it is full of conflicts, many news organizations have the same policies or the same ones I’ve put up in previous weeks, so nothing about it is tied to the cartoon.’

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A media critic has rejected this policy.

“I could not object strongly to that policy,” replied Wemple. “The Post’s willingness over the years to expose its problems and scandals has helped set it apart from many news organizations that refuse to adhere to the same rules as politicians, CEOs, professional athletes, etc. And something, I believe, that the subscribers have appreciated.”

“After the explosion of The Post’s presidential approval policy in October, for example, I heard concerns from media interviews about this dynamic: How do they know about things that cross the aisles, or Zoomways, as the case may be? With Murray’s claim that there is a conflict of interest, of course, there is a conflict of interest. One thing that’s so big that it doesn’t even need to be announced, they’ve been able to overcome those conflicts, make stories about their teammates and just face adversity. which always appeared in the corridors/Zoomways It is clear from this discussion that the students enjoyed all that work,” said Wemple.

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Washington Post editor-in-chief Matt Murray said he had implemented a new “policy” that the paper did not include itself. (Robert Miller / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A spokesperson for The Washington Post told Fox News Digital that Murray’s comments spoke for themselves and had no further comment.

Wemple, a media opinion writer who works separately from his journalist colleagues at The Post, did not shy away from calling out his employer.

He has even done his own reporting for The Post before. In 2022, Wemple reported on the behind-the-scenes drama that emerged following a flawed piece written by Taylor Lorenz (he left The Post in 2024).

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Washington Post news critic Erik Wemple criticized senior editor Matt Murray’s new policy saying the paper should not introduce itself. (Screenshot/Washington Post)

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Murray was named acting editor-in-chief last year by then-incoming Post publisher Will Lewis. A report recently revealed that Murray will take the role permanently after an exhaustive and unsuccessful search for another candidate.

In the past year, the Washington Post has been in the middle of a media controversy from the disagreement between Lewis and his staff, a huge financial loss, anger over Bezos’ decision to revoke the approval of the paper by Vice President Kamala Harris, and an unprecedented exit. top talent who fled the paper in the past weeks.