WaPo Media Columnist Jumps To NY Times

Erik Wemple, a prominent media columnist at The Washington Post for 14 years, announced on July 30, 2025, that he accepted a buyout offer from the newspaper and will join The New York Times in September 2025 to cover media for its business section, based in Washington, D.C. 

His departure is part of a broader exodus at The Post, amid internal turmoil, including subscriber churn, editorial shifts, and a revamped opinion section aligning with owner Jeff Bezos’ focus on personal liberties and free markets. 

Eric Wemple

Other notable Post staffers, including deputy editors Mike Semel, Ann Gerhart, Monica Norton, deputy opinion editor Stephen Stromberg, and sports columnist Sally Jenkins (who is also moving to The New York Times’ The Athletic), have also accepted buyouts. 

Wemple’s notable work includes exposing falsehoods in a 2020 Atlantic feature by Ruth Shalit Barrett and critiquing media bias, often engaging in high-profile feuds, such as with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. 

His move to The Times follows a history of rigorous media scrutiny, including local reporting at Washington City Paper and editing roles at TBD.com. The Post’s buyouts stem from a historically overfunded pension plan, used to manage staff reductions during industry downturns.