G/O Media Explained

G/O Media Inc.
Location:New York, New York
Type:Private
Predecessor:Gizmodo Media Group
Key People:Jim Spanfeller (CEO)
Owner:Great Hill Partners

G/O Media Inc. is an American media holding company[1] that owns and operates several digital media outlets, including Kotaku, Jalopnik, The Root, The Inventory, and Quartz.[2] [3]

It was formed in 2019 after the private equity firm Great Hill Partners purchased two digital portfolios from Univision: Gizmodo Media Group (Gizmodo, Jezebel, Deadspin, Lifehacker, Splinter, The Root, Kotaku, and Jalopnik) and The Onion portfolio (The Onion, Clickhole, The A.V. Club, and The Takeout).[4] [5], the company has sold off many of its outlets[6] [7] [8] [9] including The Onion[10] and Gizmodo which gave "the G and O of its name".[11]

History

G/O was formed in April 2019 when Great Hill Partners, a private equity firm, purchased the websites from Univision for $18.9 million.[4] [5] [12] [13] Prior to the sale, the former Gawker Media properties had operated as Gizmodo Media Group after being acquired by Univision following the conclusion of the Bollea v. Gawker lawsuit and subsequent bankruptcy in 2016.[14] [15] [16] Former Forbes executive Jim Spanfeller became the CEO of G/O Media.[17] In the first twelve months following its purchase of the websites, G/O shut down Splinter News in November 2019[18] and sold ClickHole in February 2020 to Cards Against Humanity.[19]

In mid-October 2021, G/O Media removed all images from stories published before the acquisition by Great Hill Partners in 2019 from the 11 websites it owns, including Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, The Onion, and Jezebel. No reason was given but was speculated to be related to copyright infringement lawsuits the company was involved in.[20]

From 2023 onwards the company began to dispose of sites that it owned, with Lifehacker being sold in March 2023 to Ziff Davis,[6] while Jezebel was shuttered[21] and then sold in November 2023 to Paste along with Splinter News.[7] In January 2024, Adweek reported that G/O Media was looking to sell off the remaining sites under its ownership, following failed efforts to find buyers for the whole organisation. The company claimed the reporting was "largely incorrect" but didn't specify how.[22] On March 11, 2024, G/O Media sold Deadspin to the European start-up Lineup Publishing, who immediately laid off all of Deadspins employees.[8] Later that month, G/O Media sold The A.V. Club to Paste and The Takeout to Static Media, with it also reported that the company was actively looking for buyers of The Onion.[9] The Onion was sold in April 2024 to a company called Global Tetrahedron.[10]

Gizmodo, with the website's entire staff, was purchased by the European digital media company Keleops Media on June 4, 2024.[11] [23] [24] The Daily Beast noted that "with the sale of Gizmodo, G/O Media no longer owns the brands that made up the G and O of its name. The company's dwindling portfolio now just consists of business news site Quartz, African-American culture outlet The Root, gaming site Kotaku, gearhead publication Jalopnik, and commerce site The Inventory".[11]

Staff conflicts with leadership

G/O Media's leadership, introduced after the purchase from Univision, has been subject to frequent criticism by employees. Complaints include closer advertiser relationships, a lack of diversity, and suppression of reporting about the company itself. In October 2019, Deadspins editor-in-chief, Barry Petchesky, was fired for refusing to adhere to a directive that the site "stick to sports."[25] Soon after, the entirety of Deadspins staff resigned in protest, leaving the site inactive.[26] In November 2021, Gawker reported on substantial staff resignations at Jezebel over the course of 2021, comprising around 75% of staff. The resignations were reportedly related to a "hostile work environment" created by G/O's management and the new deputy editorial director Lea Goldman.[27] In January 2022, another article detailed similar staff decline at The Root, with 15 out of 16 full-time staff having left throughout 2021 since Vanessa De Luca started as editor-in-chief,[28] while at The A.V. Club seven senior staff members left the site after management required them to move from Chicago to Los Angeles. According to the Chicago Tribune, the departing staffers cited a lack of salary increase to account for increased cost of living due to the transfer.[29]

The company also saw multiple disputes with the employee unions. In January 2020, the GMG Union, which represents the staff of six G/O Media sites, announced a vote of no confidence in CEO Jim Spanfeller, citing, among other issues, a lack of willingness to negotiate for "functional editorial independence protections."[30] On February 4, 2021, the Writers Guild of America East filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that G/O Media told employees it had fired Alex Cranz for labor activism.[31] On March 1, 2022, GMG Union members went on strike after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.[32] The strike was resolved on March 6 with a new contract that included some of the members' terms.[33] On June 29, 2023, G/O Media implemented a "modest test" of artificial intelligence-generated content on its websites, in a move similar to BuzzFeed and CNET. The move sparked backlash from GMG Union members, citing AI's track record of false statements and plagiarism from its training data, with basic errors in the generated content also attracting attention.[34] [35] In January 2024 a strike involving members of The Onion Union, which represents workers at other G/O Media sites, was narrowly averted following an agreement.[36]

Acquisitions

Sold properties

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: Hayes . Dade . Deadspin Loses Veteran Writer Drew Magary As Website's News Flow Runs Dry – Update . Deadline . 1 November 2019 . January 9, 2021 . November 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231105115442/https://deadline.com/2019/11/deadspin-loses-veteran-writer-drew-magary-as-websites-news-flow-runs-dry-1202773414/ . live .
  2. News: Abdel-Baqui . Omar . Bruell . Alexandra . 28 April 2022 . Gizmodo Owner G/O Media Buys Business News Site Quartz . The Wall Street Journal . January 18, 2023 . May 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220502065816/https://www.wsj.com/articles/business-news-site-quartz-bought-by-g-o-media-11651158557 . live .
  3. News: Owen . Laura Hazard . 29 April 2022 . "An audible gasp": Quartz, once a high-flying startup, has sold to G/O Media . . 12 May 2022 . May 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220511151406/https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/04/an-audible-gasp-quartz-once-a-high-flying-startup-has-sold-to-g-o-media/ . live .
  4. Web site: Hayes . Dade . 8 April 2019 . Univision Finalizes Sale Of Former Gawker Portfolio And The Onion To Private Equity Firm Great Hill Partners . 9 April 2019 . Deadline.
  5. Web site: Mullen . Benjamin . April 8, 2019 . Great Hill Partners Agrees to Acquire Gizmodo Media Group . April 8, 2019 . Wall Street Journal.
  6. Web site: Fischer, Sara. Scoop: Lifehacker sold by G/O to Ziff Davis. Axios. 13 March 2023. 13 March 2023. March 13, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230313183023/https://www.axios.com/2023/03/13/lifehacker-sale-go-ziff-davis. live.
  7. News: Robertson . Katie . November 29, 2023 . Jezebel to Be Resurrected by Paste Magazine . . live . November 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129134533/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/business/media/jezebel-resurrected-paste-magazine.html . November 29, 2023.
  8. News: Baragona . Justin . G/O Media Sells Off Deadspin to Be Entirely Gutted . 11 March 2024 . The Daily Beast . 11 March 2024 . en.
  9. News: Baragona . Justin . 2024-03-26 . G/O Media Continues Fire Sale, Dumps A.V. Club and Takeout . 2024-03-27 . The Daily Beast . en.
  10. Web site: Spangler . Todd . The Onion Sold to Founder of Twilio, Who Taps Ex-NBC News Reporter Ben Collins to Lead Satire Site as CEO . Variety . 26 April 2024 . 26 April 2024.
  11. News: Baragona . Justin . G/O Media Sells Off Gizmodo . 4 June 2024 . . 4 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604164051/https://www.thedailybeast.com/go-media-sells-off-gizmodo . 4 June 2024 . en.
  12. Web site: UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 2020 First Quarter Reporting Package. March 30, 2020. Univision Communications Inc. – Financial Reports – Quarterly Reports. May 2, 2023. May 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230514080440/https://s29.q4cdn.com/983326523/files/doc_financials/2020/q1/v2/FINAL-UCI-Q1-2020-Reporting-Package.pdf#page=20. live.
  13. Web site: UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 2020 Second Quarter Reporting Package. June 30, 2020. Univision Communications Inc. – Financial Reports – Quarterly Reports. May 2, 2023. May 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230504223325/https://s29.q4cdn.com/983326523/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/FINAL-UCI-Q2-2020-Reporting-Package.pdf#page=20. live.
  14. Web site: Univision to buy Gawker out of bankruptcy for $135 million . DiNapoli . Jessica . August 17, 2016 . Reuters . August 18, 2016 . August 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160817222153/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-gawker-bankruptcy-auction-idUSKCN10R2IV . live .
  15. Web site: Sinclair . Brendan . Univision sells Gizmodo Media Group . . 2019-04-08 . 2019-07-28 . mdy-all . July 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190728221852/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-04-08-univision-sells-gizmodo-media-group . live .
  16. Web site: Adams . Robert N. . Gizmodo sold to Great Hill Partners, forming G/O Media . . 2019-04-08 . 2019-07-28 . mdy-all . July 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190728222221/https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/521825-gizmodo-sold-great-hill-partners . live .
  17. News: Tani . Maxwell . Gizmodo Media Staff Enraged at New CEO's 'Insane' Direction . . 2019-07-18 . mdy-all . July 28, 2019 . August 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190801231955/https://www.thedailybeast.com/gizmodo-media-staff-enraged-at-new-ceos-insane-direction . live .
  18. News: Tani . Maxwell . 10 October 2019 . Splinter Shutting Down . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191011170316/https://www.thedailybeast.com/splinter-news-shutting-down . October 11, 2019 . 9 November 2023 . The Daily Beast . en.
  19. Web site: Notopoulos . Katie . 2020-02-03 . Cards Against Humanity Bought Clickhole . 2023-11-09 . BuzzFeed News . en . February 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200218103110/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/cards-against-humanity-buys-clickhole . live .
  20. News: Pictures Disappear En Masse from G/O Media Posts . Hitt . Tarpley . 4 February 2021 . Gawker . Bustle Digital Group . 27 October 2021 . December 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211208030644/https://www.gawker.com/media/go-media-staffers-confused-about-missing-photos/amp . live .
  21. Web site: November 9, 2023 . Trailblazing feminist blog Jezebel is shutting down has to shut down from a lack of buyers. The writers claim 'strategic and commercial ineptitude' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231115062315/https://fortune.com/2023/11/09/jezebel-shut-down-sold-ineptitude/ . November 15, 2023 . November 29, 2023 . Fortune . en.
  22. Web site: Stenberg . Mark . 2024-01-24 . G/O Media Hangs ‘For Sale’ Sign Across Its Portfolio . 2024-01-24 . Adweek . en-US.
  23. News: Robertson . Katie . Gizmodo Sold to European Media Company . 7 June 2024 . . 4 June 2024.
  24. Web site: Stenberg . Mark . Gizmodo Acquired by European Media Firm Keleops . . 4 June 2024 . 4 June 2024.
  25. News: Deadspin Editor Fired Amid Pushback Over 'Stick to Sports' Memo. Tracy. Marc. 2019-10-29. The New York Times. 2020-02-02. en-US. 0362-4331. December 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191211185417/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/business/media/deadspin-editor-fired.html. live.
  26. News: Deadspin's Last Staff Member Quits. But Deadspin Is Not Dead, the Boss Says.. Robertson. Katie. 2019-11-01. The New York Times. 2020-02-02. en-US. 0362-4331. February 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200202015703/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/01/business/deadspin-staff-quits.html. live.
  27. Web site: November 18, 2021 . Inside the Turmoil at Jezebel . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211118141127/https://gawker.com/media/inside-the-turmoil-at-jezebel . November 18, 2021 . November 29, 2023 . Gawker . en.
  28. Web site: January 27, 2022 . What Happened at The Root? . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220129012015/https://www.gawker.com/media/what-happened-at-the-root . January 29, 2022 . 2022-01-29 . Gawker . en.
  29. Web site: Channick. Robert. Top editorial staff leaving A.V. Club entertainment site after refusing to relocate from Chicago to new offices in LA. 2022-01-29. Chicago Tribune. January 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129104630/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-av-club-la-move-chicago-staff-leaving-20220120-dmy64npd5ng63irdzdliifzqha-story.html. live.
  30. Web site: GMG Union votes no confidence in G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller. 2020-01-14. Awful Announcing. en-US. 2020-02-02. January 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200114100437/https://awfulannouncing.com/online-outlets/gmg-union-jim-spanfeller-no-confidence.html. live.
  31. News: G/O Media Told Staff Activism Got Editor Fired, Union Says . Eidelson . Josh . 4 February 2021 . Bloomberg . 4 February 2021 . February 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210212201843/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/gizmodo-told-staff-it-fired-editor-for-activism-union-claims . live .
  32. News: Geier . Thom . 1 March 2022 . Jezebel, Gizmodo, The Root and Other G/O Media Writers Go on Strike . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220301153355/https://www.thewrap.com/jezebel-gizmodo-the-root-and-other-g-o-media-writers-go-on-strike/ . March 1, 2022 . 1 March 2022 . The Wrap.
  33. Web site: Fuster . Jeremy . 2022-03-06 . G/O Media, WGA East Agree to New Contract After 5-Day Strike . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220308013246/https://www.thewrap.com/g-o-media-gizmodo-wga-east-union/ . March 8, 2022 . 2022-03-07 . The Wrap .
  34. News: Tangermann . Victor . Gizmodo and Kotaku Staff Furious After Owner Announces Move to AI Content . 6 July 2023 . Futurism . 30 June 2023 . July 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230705105952/https://futurism.com/gizmodo-kotaku-staff-furious-ai-content . live .
  35. News: Spangler . Todd . Gizmodo's io9 Published an AI-Generated Star Wars Article That Was Filled With Errors . 6 July 2023 . Variety . 5 July 2023 . July 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230706030317/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/io9-ai-generated-star-wars-article-errors-1235662194/ . live .
  36. Web site: Kilkenny . Katie . 2024-02-01 . The Onion Union Reaches Tentative Deal With Management, Averting Strike . 2024-03-27 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  37. Web site: 2022-04-28 . G/O Media acquires Quartz . 2022-04-29 . Flashes & Flames . en-GB . May 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220505144845/https://flashesandflames.com/2022/04/28/g-o-media-acquires-quartz/ . live .
  38. Web site: Calhoun, Jordan. A New Beginning for Lifehacker. Lifehacker. 30 March 2023. 30 March 2023. March 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230330124344/https://lifehacker.com/a-new-beginning-for-lifehacker-1850278940. live.
  39. News: Baragona . Justin . 2024-03-26 . G/O Media Continues Fire Sale, Dumps A.V. Club and Takeout . 2024-03-27 . The Daily Beast . en.

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