Washington Post Opinion Editor Adam O’Neal to Step Down After One Year

Adam O’Neal, the editor who oversaw a transformation of The Washington Post’s Opinion section, announced on Friday that he will be leaving the newspaper at the end of August after roughly one year in the role. “My last day will be August 31,” he wrote in a memo to staff, TheWrap has learned. “It has been a remarkable year, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished together.” O’Neal joined The Post last year to lead its opinion operation during a period of significant change under owner Jeff Bezos. In his farewell note, he said the section had undergone “dramatic changes,” embracing a mission of “championing free markets and personal liberties” while also putting Post Opinions “on a sustainable footing.” He touted several audience gains during his tenure, writing that Opinion readers more than doubled the amount of time they spent on the site during his first six months. He also said editorial pageviews increased by triple digits year over year, while both subscription starts and traffic from search rose. “Our work has become more relevant, accessible and consequential,” O’Neal wrote, adding that the section now regularly publishes “agenda-setting columns,” “news-breaking op-eds” and social media content that reaches millions of readers. O’Neal also thanked Bezos, Washington Post CEO Jeff D’Onofrio and the newspaper’s leadership team, as well as the Opinion staff. “While this was not an easy decision, I am leaving proud of how far the opinion section has come and optimistic that its best days lie ahead,” he wrote. “The Washington Post isn’t The Washington Post without our Opinions section. Its critiques and columns spark robust discussion, and under the provenance of our owner, we opened the doors last year to a wider audience by examining today’s issues under the lens of two values that are intrinsic to our country – free markets and personal liberties,” Bezos responded in a Friday message of his own. “This past year, under the leadership of Adam O’Neal, Post Opinions has become more balanced in perspective, more financially sustainable and more accessible to readers than ever before,” he continued. “As Adam shared, he has made the decision to step down, with Aug. 31 as his last day. I want to thank him for his leadership and hard work in reimagining the section. Over the coming weeks, we will work to transition Post Opinions leadership. More to come on that front.” The memo did not specify why O’Neal decided to leave or who will succeed him. TheWrap has reached out to The Washington Post for further comment.