Bennett Says Departure as 'Wash Post' M.E. was his Decision -- Brauchli Promises Restructuring

By: Joe Strupp Washington Post Managing Editor Phil Bennett, who is leaving his job of four years for a non-newsroom position at the paper, said he was not forced out and wanted to do something different.

"That would be wrong," Bennett, 49, said about any speculation he was pushed out of his job. "It was my decision. The timing was determined as much by my own personal situation as anything, wanting to do something else and having another act."

Bennett, a former foreign editor at the paper, announced his pending departure in a memo to staff today. The move comes just weeks after Web Editor Jim Brady revealed plans to depart the paper. With both moves occurring just months after Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli's appointment in September, speculation has already started that the departures are related.

Bennett says no: "I don?t think there is any relationship between Jim's decision and mine." In a memo to staff, Brauchli referred to the timing only briefly, noting, "I will be working on a new leadership structure that addresses the departures of both Phil and Jim Brady as quickly as possible."

Brauchli said the departures of Brady, who is slated to remain at the paper until at least Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, and Bennett are unrelated: "Phil has been exceptional. I think he felt the time was right to step down." Brauchli did acknowledge that a restructuring of the newsroom is coming, with plans for the online and print newsrooms, now in separate locations, to merge sometime in 2009.

"It is correct to say we are evaluating what the right structure of the newsroom needs to be in light of our need to integrate the print and online editions," Brauchli said.

He would not disclose when or if Brady or Bennett would be replaced, but hinted that a Web site editor and a newsroom position similar to Bennett's would still be needed. "I am committed to there being someone who is charged with guiding the online edition," he said, later also adding, "we have to have someone working at a senior level with me running the newsroom."

Bennett, who has been at the Post for 11 years, plans to take an assignment with former publisher Donald Graham to work on a special project. He declined to offer specifics, saying only: "it has to do with the future of the news business. I will do that while I unwind and think about what else I want to do."

He notes that he was asked by Brauchli, who replaced former executive editor Leonard Downie Jr., to stay on as managing editor and wanted to remain in the position through the editor transition and at least the end of the presidential campaign.

"I wanted to do it for at least the transition from Len to Marcus and for the campaign," he said, adding, "your career takes its course and I have been thrilled with the course my career has taken. I have had a great ride; I have worked with some incredibly talented people. These have been really challenging years in the newspaper industry, but things have been overwhelmingly positive."

Bennett's last day is Friday. No successor has been named.