{{Short description|British journalist}} '''Simon Denyer''' is a British journalist, author, and wildlife conservationist. He served as a foreign correspondent and bureau chief for the ''Washington Post'' and for ''Reuters'', including in Beijing, New Delhi, Washington, Islamabad, Nairobi, New York and London.
== Education == Denyer graduated from Lancing College in 1983.{{cn|date= March 2023}} He earned a master of arts degree in economics from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1987.<ref name=wpbio/>
== Career == Denyer joined ''Reuters'' as a journalist in London in 1992, later becoming bureau chief in Washington, New Delhi, Islamabad and Kabul; also serving as a correspondent in Nairobi, New York and London. He later joined the ''Washington Post'' as bureau chief in India, also serving as president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia (2011-2013), later transitioning to China's bureau chief (2013-2018), and finally to Japan and the Koreas (2018-2021).<ref name=wpbio>{{Cite web|title=Simon Denyer - The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/simon-denyer/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Simon Denyer|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Roush |first1=Chris |title=Reuters DC bureau named WaPo's India bureau chief |url=https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/reuters-dc-bureau-named-wapos-india-bureau-chief-2/ |date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> Denyer had initially planned a departure from the ''Washington Post'' in July 2021, but was requested to stay an additional 2 months to cover the Tokyo Olympics.<ref name=sdowp/>
Denyer joined WildAid, an environmental organization, as its Africa programme manager in October 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Uwaegbulam |first1=Chinedum |title=Nigeria’s Cross River gorillas facing extinction, says WildAid |url=https://guardian.ng/property/nigerias-cross-river-gorillas-facing-extinction-says-wildaid/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=26 September 2022|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>
=== Criticism of Manmohan Singh === Denyer faced criticism in 2012 for his article "India's “silent” prime minister becomes a tragic figure", in which he criticized former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Denyer|first=Simon|date=2012-09-04|title=India's 'silent' prime minister becomes a tragic figure|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/indias-silent-prime-minister-becomes-a-tragic-figure/2012/09/04/a88662c4-f396-11e1-adc6-87dfa8eff430_story.html|access-date=2021-12-04|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Singh’s media advisor, Pankaj Pachauri, posted in the online comments section after the article was posted, claiming Denyer did not get in contact with the Prime Minister’s Office to get their side of the story. Denyer countered, saying he had requested an interview with the PM three times and wanted to meet senior PMO officials but his requests were ignored or declined.<ref>{{cite web |title=Day Two of Post war: PMO calls journalist ‘unethical’ |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/day-two-of-post-war-pmo-calls-journalist--unethical-/998953/ |date=2012-09-07}}</ref> Two quotes from the article first appeared in a 2011 article published by the Indian magazine ''The Caravan''. The quotes appeared without citation on Denyer's article. Former media advisor Sanjaya Baru<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |date=2012-09-07 |title=Washington Post journalist sticks to article on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - India News - IBNLive |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/washington-post-journalist-sticks-to-article-on-pm/289129-3.html |access-date=2021-12-04 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907054107/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/washington-post-journalist-sticks-to-article-on-pm/289129-3.html |archive-date=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Jebaraj|first=Priscilla|date=2012-09-06|title='Washington Post' failed to cite magazine, publishes correction|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/washington-post-failed-to-cite-magazine-publishes-correction/article3867161.ece|access-date=2021-12-06|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and Tushar Poddar, an economist from Goldman Sachs, distanced themselves from the attributed comments.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Washington Post's article on Manmohan Singh: PM's office sends a strong rejoinder|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/washington-posts-article-on-manmohan-singh-pms-office-sends-a-strong-rejoinder-498656|access-date=2021-12-06|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>
Denyer admitted that his quotes came from ''The Caravan''<ref name="auto1"/> but claimed that he spoke to Baru, who gave him permission to use the quotes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hard To Say I'm Sorry |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2012/09/07/hard-to-say-im-sorry |date=2012-09-07}}</ref> The Washington Post printed a correction.
=== Felicia Sonmez lawsuit === In August 2021, an accusation of sexual harassment against Denyer was made public by ''The Daily Beast'' in its coverage of Felicia Sonmez's lawsuit against the Post.<ref name=sdowp>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-09|title=Simon Denyer Out at the Washington Post {{!}} Washingtonian (DC)|url=https://washingtonian.com/2021/09/09/simon-denyer-out-at-the-washington-post/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Washingtonian|language=en-US}}</ref> Sonmez accused the newspaper of managerial hypocrisy for having barred her from covering stories on sexual assault because she had come out as a sexual assault survivor, while allowing an unnamed journalist, reported to be Denyer, to continue coverage of such stories despite the past accusation against him.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Post Banned One Reporter From Covering Sexual Assault, But Let an Accused Harasser Keep Working|url=https://jezebel.com/the-post-banned-one-reporter-from-covering-sexual-assau-1847405376|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Jezebel|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Chiu|first=Joanna|title=Sexpat Journalists Are Ruining Asia Coverage|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/05/18/sexpat-journalists-are-ruining-asia-coverage/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Foreign Policy|language=en-US}}</ref> A female reporter accused Denyer of having once sent her an unsolicited photo of his underwear-covered crotch.<ref name=sdowp/> ''The Washington'' ''Post'' opened an investigation on Denyer and ruled no professional wrongdoing on Denyer's part that warranted dismissal and instead issued him a warning.<ref name=sdowp/> The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in March 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Klein |first=Caroline |title=Judge Tosses Reporter Felicia Sonmez's Discrimination Case Against The Washington Post |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03/judge-tosses-reporter-felicia-sonmezs-discrimination-case-against-the-washington-post |publisher=Vanity Fair |date=March 28, 2022}}</ref>
==Bibliography== * ''Foreign Correspondent: Fifty Years of Reporting South Asia'' (2008)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Elliot |first1=John |last2=Imhasly |first2=Bernard |last3=Denyer |first3=Simon |title=Foreign Correspondent: Fifty Years of Reporting South Asia |date=2008 |publisher=Viking Books |isbn=9780670082049}}</ref><ref name=wpbio/> * ''Rogue Elephant: Harnessing the Power of India's Unruly Democracy'' (2014)<ref>{{cite book |last=Denyer |first=Simon |title=Rogue Elephant: Harnessing the Power of India's Unruly Democracy |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781408849767}}</ref><ref name=wpbio/>
==Awards== In 2016, Denyer won the Hong Kong Human Rights Press Award for best English spot news story.<ref name=wpbio/><ref>{{cite web |title=The 21st Human Rights Press Awards announces its winners |url=https://www.fcchk.org/the-21st-human-rights-press-awards-announces-its-winners/ |date=May 13, 2017}}</ref>
In 2017, Denyer, Emily Rauhala and Elizabeth Dwoskin shared the Overseas Press Club’s Bob Considine Award for best newspaper, news service or digital coverage of international affairs for a series called “Behind the Firewall”, detailing China’s system of censorship and digital surveillance.<ref name=wpbio/><ref>{{cite web |title=Overseas Press Club Announces 22 Award Winners |url=https://opcofamerica.org/2016-opc-award-winners/ |access-date=30 March 2023 |date=March 20, 2017}}</ref>
In 2019, Denyer shared a merit award with Annie Gowen and Jasu Hu in the multimedia category at the Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards for an article titled “Too Many Men", an examination of the effects of the gender imbalance in China and India.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Denyer |first1=Simon |last2=Gowen |first2=Annie |title=Too Many Men |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/world/too-many-men/ |publisher=The Washington Post |date=April 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=WINNERS OF 2019 HUMAN RIGHTS PRESS AWARDS ANNOUNCED |url=https://www.hkja.org.hk/en/human-rights-press-awards/winners-of-2019-human-rights-press-awards-announced/ |format=Press Release}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Press release|date=March 2023}}
Denyer was part of a Washington Post team who won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for a series titled "2°C: Beyond The Limit".<ref name=sdowp/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mufson |first1=Steven |last2=Mooney |first2=Chris |last3=Eilperin |first3=Juliet |last4=Muyskens |first4=John |title=2°C: BEYOND THE LIMIT |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-america/ |publisher=The Washington Post |date=August 13, 2019}}</ref>
==See also== * Me Too movement
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Denyer, Simon}} Category:Living people Category:English male journalists Category:The Washington Post people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)