Media Columnist Erik Wemple Takes Washington Post Buyout, Will Join New York Times in September

The writer is the latest WaPo staffer to exit amid the ongoing turmoil at the Jeff Bezos-owned outlet

Ross A. Lincoln
July 30, 2025 @ 3:59 PM

Washington Post sign outside its headquarters.

Joining the growing exodus of talent at the Washington Post, media columnist Erik Wemple announced on Wednesday he has accepted a buyout offer and is leaving — and will be joining the New York Times business section in September.

In addition, Oliver Darcy reported Wednesday night that deputy editors Mike Semel, Ann Gerhart and Monica Norton, as well as deputy opinion editor Stephen Stromberg and sports columnist Sally Jenkins have also accepted buyouts and are leaving the publication. As of this writing none of them have publicly announced their exits.

Jenkins will be joining The Atlantic, that publication announced late Wednesday. … “After 14 very, very happy years writing opinions on media at the Washington Post, I am taking the newspaper’s buyout offer. In September, I will begin work at the New York Times covering media from Washington for the paper’s Business section,” Wemple wrote on social media.

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