Last month, G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller broke the news to staff in a memo that Jezebel will cease operations after 16 years in business and the entire team of 23 will be laid off (news covered by TBN here.)
At that time, Spanfeller said financial constraints and the inability to find a buyer for the site had led to its closure.
“Rising from the dead,” Jezebel will live to see another day as it has been bought by Paste Magazine in an all-cash deal.
Paste founder and editor-in-chief Josh Jackson said:
“Paste is committed to preserving Jezebel’s editorial independence and maintaining its distinctive voice. The idea of there not being a Jezebel right now just didn’t seem to make sense.”
Jackson also said:
“We are honored to bring Jezebel back to life and excited to welcome the site into the Paste Magazine family. The acquisition means that the critical information and content that Jezebel readers have come to rely on will live on… Jezebel’s unique voice and commitment to storytelling make it a perfect addition to our portfolio.
“The vast majority of our overhead is editorial, and great editorial pays for itself. Jezebel has averaged more than three million visitors a month this year. I’m confident that we can provide the site with a stable home.”
Jackson is in plans for a soft launch for Jezebel, with new content being produced by Paste’s writers until an editor-in-chief is found and new staff is hired for the site. It is also reported that priority will be given to the laid off staff.
Following on that note, Jackson added:
“All the staff had been laid off prior to us even knowing it was in trouble.”
As part of the deal, Paste has also bought political news site Splinter, which was shuttered by G/O Media in 2019. The site is set to relaunch in time for the 2024 presidential elections.
