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Jezebel, the influential American feminist news site beloved for its concise cultural observation and astute reporting, will close its doors after 16 years of online presence, its parent company announced Thursday.
In a note, G/O Media — the New York-based holding company that owns Gizmodo and Quartz, among others — cited “economic headwinds” in speaking out about firing the other 23 people in the newsroom.
“While G/O Media is an efficient and agile organization, we are immune to the economic headwinds that are shaking our business,” CEO Jim Spanfeller wrote to staff.
“Unfortunately, our style of business and the audiences we serve through our network did not fit Jezebel’s. “
He added that the resolution “is in no way a reflection of Jezebel’s editorial team” and that the company had made efforts to sell the publication.
But “despite our efforts, we couldn’t find a new home in Jez,” Spanfeller said.
Jezebel launched in 2007 under the leadership of its first editor-in-chief, Anna Holmes, at Gawker Media.
It temporarily attracted an unwavering audience, grateful for its feminist editorial line, witty prose, and in-depth reporting focused on issues affecting women.
She addressed issues of gender, power, and sexism long before the mainstream media began incorporating those discussions into their editorial priorities.
Univision acquired Jezebel when Gawker shut down in 2016 and then fell under the G/O umbrella starting in 2019, when personal equity corporation Great Hill Partners bought it in an acquisition of Univision, forming the G/O holding company.
Jezebel’s shutdown comes amid anger over G/O’s reliance on AI-generated content.
– More layoffs at Vice –
The news came just a week after Jezebel founder Holmes published an essay in the New Yorker about the site’s legacy.
“I do not see Jezebel as the beginning of the end of the age of virtual media, nor as a moment — a spark — in an ongoing debate about the politics of ending,” Holmes wrote.
“This verbal exchange has led to new realities around sexual assault and harassment, pay inequality, and cultural representations of women. It also makes other people uncomfortable, in part because these are women expressing their anger in a public and sustained way. “
In a statement, the Writers Guild of America, East, which represents Jezebel journalists, said it was “devastated but not surprised” by the news.
“Jezebel has been a pillar of fearless journalism and vital cultural observation since 2007 and has left an indelible mark on the media landscape,” the WGA said.
Also on Thursday, Vice Media Group announced a new layoff circular, after announcing earlier this year that it would file for bankruptcy to facilitate its sale.
Vice, once a rising star in the now-besieged virtual media world, plans to close several exhibits and lay off dozens of employees, according to industry publications, which cited a memo addressed to employees.
“We can no longer express our surprise or astonishment that Vice has that the only path forward is through layoffs,” WGA East affiliate Vice Union said in a statement. “As has been the case with previous layoffs, Vice has once again used component tactics with the same people who have worked tirelessly over the years to build it into a recognized, award-winning media company. “
“Entire groups have been destroyed and dozens of people have lost their jobs today. “
MDO/MD