Adam O'Neal, Opinion Editor at Jeff Bezos' Washington Post, abruptly resigned Friday, catching staff by surprise.
O'Neal was appointed over a year ago to shift the editorial page from liberal-leaning to align with Bezos' "free markets" ideology, reported media watchdog Status.
During his 18-month tenure, O'Neal oversaw aggressive restructuring that sparked internal backlash and subscription cancellations. There were layoffs, recruitment of conservative voices, and expansion of video content.
A particularly troubled initiative was the "Make It Make Sense" podcast, which received $80,000 in studio equipment shortly after February layoffs, Status reported. Yet the video channel has attracted only 1,600 YouTube subscribers.
Staff described the project as "a total embarrassment" amid questions about resource allocation during newsroom layoffs.
O'Neal announced his departure during an all-hands meeting, citing personal family reasons.
According to reporting by Status, the Opinion section is uncertain of its direction following O'Neal's departure.
Watch the video below.
