In the summer of 2020, Kathleen Kingsbury found herself managing the fallout from James Bennet's resignation at the New York Times, prompted by a highly controversial opinion column advocating military intervention in response to protests. Despite initial skepticism about her leadership abilities, Kingsbury took charge during a tumultuous time for the newsroom and the wider media landscape. Her approach aimed to stabilize an organization facing intense division and scrutiny over its editorial direction. The events highlighted the challenges faced by editorial leadership amid societal upheaval and the consequences of provocative journalism.
"Primarily because of the headline. But, you know, the first three years that I was here were marked with a lot of controversy in the department. And I guess I worried that, in that volatile moment, there would be a reaction."
"In a bloodbath that one staffer later described as 'Caesar on the floor of the Roman Senate', Kingsbury stayed sequestered for more than a week, managing a fallout that divided the entire organization and reverberated throughout the media industry and beyond."
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