Tech Exec Jeff Lawson Acquires Satirical Website The Onion: Report

Lawson, the ex-CEO and co-founder of cloud communications company Twilio, disclosed on X that he was the mastermind behind the acquisition.

Satirical site The Onion has a new owner.

Source : X/Jeff Lawson

Jim Spanfeller, CEO of G/O Media has revealed that publication The Onion has been sold to a Chicago-based entity named Global Tetrahedron, the media has reported. The CEO further noted that the company consists of "four digital media veterans deeply passionate about The Onion and comedy-based content." Led by former NBC reporter Ben Collins and owned by tech executive Jeff Lawson, Global Tetrahedron's acquisition was discussed with The New York Times.

Spanfeller assured that the new company would maintain the current staff and uphold the Chicago base for the site. 

He praised The Onion's enduring significance in American culture, emphasising its timeless satire and comedy. Spanfeller expressed gratitude to The Onion team for their dedication and contributions during their tenure at G/O Media.

G/O Media has sold the satire website it had acquired from Univision in 2019.

An email obtained by The New York Times stated that Spanfeller, the CEO of G/O Media conveyed that the company is "conducting a thorough review of our portfolio with the aim of focusing on our top-performing sites in terms of audience and revenue." He disclosed that G/O Media had reached an agreement to sell to a new Chicago-based entity named Global Tetrahedron.

Who Is Jeff Lawson

Lawson, the ex-CEO and co-founder of cloud communications company Twilio, disclosed on X that he was the mastermind behind the enigmatic acquisition.

In a series of tweets, Lawson explained that he acquired the outlet because it is "an institution, a national treasure, and we need it." He emphasised that the purchase aimed to rescue The Onion from various threats that afflict news organisations, such as "complex cookie dialogs, paywalls, strange belly fat ads, and clickbait content."

Origin Of The Onion

Originating in 1988 as a weekly satirical newspaper in Wisconsin before transitioning into a website, The Onion is renowned for its satirical take on contemporary events. Over the past decade, it has consistently republished a particular headline following nearly every mass shooting: "No Way to Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens."

Who Are The Owners Of Global Tetrahedron

Global Tetrahedron in reality belongs to Jeff Lawson, a co-founder and former CEO of the technology communications firm Twilio. Ben Collins, formerly a senior reporter at NBC News, now heads the company as CEO.

Mr. Lawson revealed in an interview that acquiring The Onion had been a longstanding ambition of his, and he had pursued the idea at different times before teaming up with Mr. Collins. The concept started taking shape early this year.