Whether the Washington Post has an independent ombudsman or not is not a particularly sexy topic of discussion, especially considering what a bad joke that paper has become. The truth is, however, that Fred Hiatt just doesn’t want the accountability. It’s clear that he has no intention of upholding the historic standards of the Post, and he doesn’t need to be reminded on a regular basis just how awful he is at his job. Just like the Republicans finally gave up on caring whether or not the American Bar Association thought that their judicial nominees were well-qualified, Fred Hiatt no longer cares if his paper resembles the Moonie Times more than the Post of yesteryear.
He can’t possibly give one damn what his customers think or he wouldn’t employ the hacks he employs.