Current editor David Ignatius is to join the Washington Post to write comment pieces for the newspaper. His departure is reported to be less than harmonious, with concerns about the new ownership of the Herald Tribune. The international newspaper was formerly joint owned, until the Washington Post sold its 50% stake to the New York Times in October, amid claims of threats to set up a rival newspaper.
However, the New York Times Company has sought to position Ignatius' departure as merely a return to the Post, where he used to be an editor.
Arthur Sulzberger, chairman of the New York Times Company, said: "We understand and, of course, will honour David's decision to return to the Washington Post. We are enormously grateful for his skilful stewardship of the Herald Tribune over the past several years. The paper and its readers will be the beneficiaries of his many contributions, including a recent comprehensive redesign, for years to come."
Wells' position is a temporary one. He will take the role of consulting editor until the deal is completed, likely to happen late this year or early 2003. He will then take the position of acting managing editor.
Wells left the Herald Tribune in 2001 after working there for 21 years, most recently as managing editor. Before joining the newspaper in 1980, he was assistant national editor for The New York Times, where he had begun working in 1972. From 1965 to 1972, he was an editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Virginia.
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