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But Weymouth abruptly canceled the off-the-record dinners Thursday after a news website, Politico, obtained a marketing flier for the events and published a story about them.
Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli told the newspaper he was "appalled" by the plan and had insisted before the cancellation that the newsroom would not participate.
"It suggests that access to Washington Post journalists was available for purchase," Brauchli said. "We do not offer access to the newsroom for money. We just are not in that business."
"Our independence from advertisers or sponsors is inviolable," he added in a memo to Post staffers.
Weymouth sent out a memo of her own saying the flier "was never vetted by me or by the newsroom."
"Had it been, the flier would have been immediately killed, because it completely misrepresented what we were trying to do," she said.
"I do not normally respond to stories but this one has created enough of a stir that I wanted to take the time to reaffirm our commitment, first and foremost, to our journalism and our integrity," Weymouth said.
"There is nothing more important and no amount of money that would cause us to jeopardize that," she said. "We are always looking for new revenue streams but we will pursue only avenues that uphold our high standards of journalism."
Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander said the newspaper's image had been damaged.
"For a storied newspaper that cherishes its reputation for ethical purity, this comes pretty close to a public relations disaster," he wrote on his blog.
"The problem: The Post often decries those who charge for access to public officials. This raised the specter of a money-losing newspaper doing the same thing -- and charging for access to its own reporters and editors as well."
The Post and Politico said the fliers offered an "intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth."
A flier for the since-canceled July 21 session said it would involve "health-care reporting and editorial staff members of The Washington Post."
The Post said the fliers appear to have been the product of "overzealous marketing executives."
Like other newspapers, the Post has been looking for new sources of revenue as it grapples with a steep drop in print advertising revenue, steadily declining circulation and the migration of readers to free news online.
The Post lost 19.5 million dollars in the first quarter of the year.
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Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli told the newspaper he was "appalled" by the plan and had insisted before the cancellation that the newsroom would not participate.
"It suggests that access to Washington Post journalists was available for purchase," Brauchli said. "We do not offer access to the newsroom for money. We just are not in that business."
"Our independence from advertisers or sponsors is inviolable," he added in a memo to Post staffers.
Weymouth sent out a memo of her own saying the flier "was never vetted by me or by the newsroom."
"Had it been, the flier would have been immediately killed, because it completely misrepresented what we were trying to do," she said.
"I do not normally respond to stories but this one has created enough of a stir that I wanted to take the time to reaffirm our commitment, first and foremost, to our journalism and our integrity," Weymouth said.
"There is nothing more important and no amount of money that would cause us to jeopardize that," she said. "We are always looking for new revenue streams but we will pursue only avenues that uphold our high standards of journalism."
Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander said the newspaper's image had been damaged.
"For a storied newspaper that cherishes its reputation for ethical purity, this comes pretty close to a public relations disaster," he wrote on his blog.
"The problem: The Post often decries those who charge for access to public officials. This raised the specter of a money-losing newspaper doing the same thing -- and charging for access to its own reporters and editors as well."
The Post and Politico said the fliers offered an "intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth."
A flier for the since-canceled July 21 session said it would involve "health-care reporting and editorial staff members of The Washington Post."
The Post said the fliers appear to have been the product of "overzealous marketing executives."
Like other newspapers, the Post has been looking for new sources of revenue as it grapples with a steep drop in print advertising revenue, steadily declining circulation and the migration of readers to free news online.
The Post lost 19.5 million dollars in the first quarter of the year.
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