NEW YORK – The irreverent feminist website Jezebel is making a comeback less than a month after it was shut down.
Paste Magazine, a digital pop culture publication based in Atlanta, announced Wednesday that it was buying Jezebel.com from G/O Media, which closed it and laid off its staff earlier this month.
In an announcement on its website, Paste said it “moved quickly to try and save” Jezebel after learning of its closure, calling the site “a beloved platform with a strong focus on women’s issues, pop culture and social commentary.” The acquisition was first reported by the New York Times, which said it was an all-cash deal, though no figures were disclosed.
Paste Founder and Editor-in-Chief Josh Jackson said Jezebel’s “acquisition means that the critical information and content that Jezebel readers have come to rely on will live on.”
“Our mission has always been to provide insightful, thought-provoking content that resonates with a diverse audience. Jezebel’s unique voice and commitment to storytelling make it a perfect addition to our portfolio,” Jackson said in a prepared statement.
G/0 Media had said it was shutting down Jezebel after trying unsuccessfully for months to find a buyer for the 16-year-old site. G/0 Media, which also owns Gizmodo, Quartz, the Onion and the Root, said the shutdown was part of a restructuring to cope with economic headwinds and a difficult digital advertising environment. But G/0 Media CEO Jim Spanfeller said at the time that he had not given up on the idea that Jezebel could find a new home and relaunch.
“We have been working on the sale of Jezebel for months and are delighted that the site has found a new home,” Spanfeller said in a prepared statement.
First launched in 2007 by Gawker Media at the height of the blogosphere, Jezebel swiftly gained an impassioned following with its combination of searing commentary on gender politics and edgy pop culture coverage. Like many other digital publications, however, Jezebel struggled in recent years to find a sustainable business model as digital advertising plummeted.
Paste said Jezebel’s “acquisition is poised to bring together the strengths of Paste Magazine’s established presence in the media landscape with Jezebel’s influential position in addressing contemporary issues.”
Paste did not immediately return an e-mail seeking further details. The New York Times reported that Paste is searching for a new editor-in-chief for Jezebel before hiring writers.
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