The Real-Life Model of the Movie 'Spotlight' Leaves The Washington Post

Marty Baron, WP Editorial Director, to Retire This February
Won Pulitzer Prize 10 Times During Tenure

▲Marty Baron, Editor of The Washington Post [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Marty Baron (66), editor-in-chief of The Washington Post and known as the real-life figure behind the movie Spotlight, will step down at the end of February.

Baron is also famous for his resolute response when former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized The Washington Post (WP) articles in 2017 and threatened war, saying, "We are not at war; we are doing our job."

On the 26th (local time), Baron announced in an email to all staff that he would step down at the end of February, stating, "I am ready for a new start." He added, "It has been an honor to work with hundreds of journalists who made WP an essential media outlet in the United States," and described it as "a job that protected democracy and held great personal meaning."

Baron, who took office as WP editor-in-chief in early 2013, significantly increased readers and subscribers through exclusive and high-quality articles. The fact that Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, acquired WP in the same year Baron joined and provided more financial support also contributed to WP's expansion. At that time, WP had about 580 journalists, but now it is estimated to have over 1,000.

CNN analyzed that "WP was able to expand its influence by increasing the number of journalists and successfully attracting online subscribers through exclusive and must-read articles."

During Baron's tenure, WP won the Pulitzer Prize 10 times. The investigative report at the end of 2019, which revealed that U.S. authorities concealed the truth about the Afghanistan war and misled the public, came after a three-year legal battle to obtain internal government documents.

Fred Ryan, WP CEO, praised, "Under Baron's eight years of leadership, WP experienced a dramatic revival and reached new heights in journalism. As editor-in-chief, he greatly expanded the scope of reporting, inspired excellent journalism, achieved a remarkable digital transformation, and increased readers and subscribers to unprecedented levels."

Meanwhile, Baron is also well known as the real-life figure portrayed in the movie Spotlight. The film is based on the true story of The Boston Globe, a U.S. daily newspaper, uncovering allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and the organized attempts to cover it up. At that time, Baron was the editor-in-chief of The Boston Globe. Actor Liev Schreiber played Baron in the film. The movie gained popularity after winning the 2016 Academy Award for Best Picture.