Wikipedia

Gizmodo

(Redirected from Gizmodo Australia)
Not to be confused with Gizmodo Media Group, of which Gizmodo is the former flagship website, nor Gizmondo, a handheld game console.

Gizmodo (/ɡɪzˈmoʊdoʊ/ giz-MOH-doh) is a design, technology, science, and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton. Gizmodo also includes the sub-blogs io9 and Earther, which focus on pop-culture and environmentalism, respectively.

Gizmodo
Type of site
Design, technology, science, science fiction, blog
Available inEnglish, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese
Country of originUnited States
OwnerKeleops Media
Created byPeter Rojas
EditorRory Carroll[1]
URLgizmodo.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedJuly 1, 2002; 22 years ago (2002-07-01)[2]

Following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Liquidation of Gawker Media, Univision purchased Gizmodo along with other Gawker websites in August 2016.[3] In 2019, Univision sold the Gizmodo Media Group, which included Gizmodo, to the private equity firm Great Hill Partners. From April 2019 to June 2024, Gizmodo was part of G/O Media.[4] In June 2024, the website was purchased by the European digital media company Keleops Media.[5][6]

History

edit

Origins and Gawker Media

edit
See also: Gawker Media § History

The blog, launched in 2002, was originally edited by Peter Rojas, who was later recruited by Weblogs, Inc. to launch its similar technology blog, Engadget.[7][8][9] By mid-2004, Gizmodo and Gawker together were bringing in revenue of approximately $6,500 per month.[10] In 2005, VNU Media and Gawker Media formed an alliance to republish Gizmodo across Europe, with VNU translating the content into French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, and adding European-interest material.[11]

In 2011, Gizmodo underwent a major redesign.[12] In 2013, Matt Novak moved his Paleofuture blog to Gizmodo from Smithsonian.[13]

In 2015, the Gawker blog io9 was merged into Gizmodo. The staff of io9 continued with Gizmodo, posting articles on subjects covered by the website, including science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and astronomy.[14]

Univision and G/O Media

edit
See also: Gizmodo Media Group and G/O Media

Gizmodo was one of six websites purchased by Univision Communications in its acquisition of Gawker Media in 2016.[3] Univision in turn sold Gizmodo and an array of sister websites to private equity firm Great Hill Partners in 2019; it combined the various former Gawker publications under the name G/O Media.[4] In 2021, David M. Ewalt became the editor-in-chief (EIC) of Gizmodo with Andrew Couts promoted to executive editor;[15] Ewalt left in 2023 for The Messenger.[16] In January 2024, Rory Carroll was promoted from EIC of Jalopnik to group editor of both Jalopnik and Gizmodo.[1] In March 2024, Rose Pastore was promoted from Gizmodo's deputy editor to its executive editor.[1][17]

G/O Media's leadership, introduced after the purchase from Univision, was frequently criticized by employees. Complaints included closer advertiser relationships, lack of diversity, and suppression of reporting about the company itself.[18] The company also saw multiple disputes with the employee union GMG Union.[19][20][21] On June 29, 2023, G/O Media implemented a "modest test" of artificial intelligence-generated content on its websites, such as io9. The move sparked backlash from GMG Union members, citing AI's track record of false statements and plagiarism from its training data; basic errors in the generated content also attracted attention.[22][23]

Keleops Media

edit

In June 2024, Gizmodo was purchased by the Swiss digital media company Keleops Media.[5][6] It was the company's "first U.S. acquisition"; Keleops "owns several French-language technology titles, including legacy brands 01net and Presse-citron".[24] Mark Stenberg of Adweek wrote that "financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The entire Gizmodo staff will receive offer letters to stay with the company, and Keleops plans to expand the team in the near future".[24] Stenberg reported that, per Keleops CEO Jean-Guillaume Kleis, "the company has no immediate plans to change Gizmodo, either from a commercial or editorial perspective" and will instead "work with Gizmodo editor-in-chief Rory Carroll to discuss its forward-looking editorial plan and identify growth areas to support with investment".[24] Claudia Cohen of Le Figaro wrote that "it is rare for a European media group to get its hands on an American player, who is also specialized in the field of tech". Kleis told the French newspaper that they "paid the price to enter the American market through a good door".[25]

Associated outlets

edit

International

edit

Gizmodo launched associated outlets in various international markets:

  • In 2006, Gizmodo Japan was launched by Mediagene.[26][27]
  • In September 2011, Gizmodo UK was launched with Future, to cover British news.[39] Gizmodo UK was later shut down in September 2020,[40] with all web links redirecting to Gizmodo.com.

Sub-blogs

edit

Gizmodo contains two sub-blogs as part of the wider site:

io9

edit
Main article: io9

io9 is a science fiction and fantasy pop-culture focused sub-blog which was launched as a standalone blog in 2008 by then editor Annalee Newitz under Gawker Media,[41] before being folded under Gizmodo in 2015 as part of a reorganization under parent company Gawker.[42] In 2021, James Whitbrook replaced Jill Pantozzi as the site's deputy editor.[43]

Earther

edit
 
Earther logo used from 2017 to 2023

Earther is an environmental news sub-blog which was launched in September 2017.[44] Earther launched with the mission to chronicle three main topics: "The future of Earth," "The future of humans on Earth," and "The future of life on Earth."[45] Founding managing editor Maddie Stone said that the site was created because it "felt like a salient and important time to create a destination for environmental news where folks can go to read up on the latest studies, but also hear the latest news about how natural disasters are affecting people, the big important environmental policies being raised around the world, and some of the biggest conservation stories."[44]

During its lifetime, former Earther journalists Yessenia Funues, Brian Kahn, and Molly Taft won SEAL Awards for their environmental reporting. [46][47][48]

As of broader G/O Media layoffs in November 2023 the last member of the sub-blog, Angely Mercado, was laid off which meant that there were then no staff listed as working for the sub-blog.[49][50][51]

Controversy

edit

TV-B-Gone

edit

Richard Blakeley, a videographer for Gizmodo's publisher, Gawker Media, disrupted several presentations held at CES in 2008.[52][53] Blakely secretly turned off TVs using TV-B-Gone remote controls, resulting in his being barred from CES 2008, and any future CES events.

iPhone 4 prototype

edit

In April 2010, Gizmodo came into possession of what was later known to be a prototype of the iPhone 4 smartphone by Apple.[54] The site purchased the device for US$5,000 from Brian J. Hogan, who had found it unattended at a bar in Redwood City, California, a month earlier.[55][56] UC Berkeley student Sage Robert, an acquaintance of Hogan, allegedly helped him sell the phone after failing to track down the owner. With Apple confirming its provenance, bloggers such as John Gruber and Ken Sweet speculated that this transaction may have violated the California Penal Code.[57]

On April 26, after Gizmodo returned the iPhone to Apple, upon Apple's request California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team executed a search warrant on editor Jason Chen's home and seized computers, hard drives, servers, cameras, notes, and a file of business cards, under direction from San Mateo County’s Chief Deputy District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe.[56][58][59] Since then, Gizmodo and the prosecution have agreed that a special master will review the contents of the items seized and determine if they contain relevant information.[60][61] Gizmodo was since barred from Apple-hosted events and product launches until August 2014, when they were invited once again to Apple's September 2014 "Wish we could say more" event.[62]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Roush, Chris (January 8, 2024). "Carroll takes on Gizmodo in addition to Jalopnik". Talking Biz News. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "Gizmodo.com WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info – DomainTools". WHOIS. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Calderone, Michael (August 18, 2016). "Gawker.com Ending Operations Next Week". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Hayes, Dade (April 8, 2019). "Univision Finalizes Sale Of Former Gawker Portfolio And The Onion To Private Equity Firm Great Hill Partners". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Baragona, Justin (June 4, 2024). "G/O Media Sells Off Gizmodo". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Robertson, Katie (June 4, 2024). "Gizmodo Sold to European Media Company". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  7. ^ Gillin, Paul (2007). "Influencer Profile: The Gadget King". The New Influencers: A Marketer’s Guide to the New Social Media. Linden Publishing. pp. 57–61. ISBN 9781610351102.
  8. ^ "This Is How Gizmodo Started". Gizmodo. August 1, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "10 Years In: The birth of Engadget". Engadget. March 3, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Greg Lindsay (June 1, 2004). "What Makes Nick Tick? The smartest publisher in the blogosphere says there's no money online. So why doesn't anyone believe him?". Business 2.0. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  11. ^ "VNU to Publish Gawker's Gizmodo Blog in Europe". MarketingVOX. October 7, 2005. Archived from the original on March 24, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  12. ^ "This Is the New Gizmodo". Gizmodo. February 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "The Paleofuture Blog Has Moved to Gizmodo". Smithsonian. May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  14. ^ Ingram, Mathew. "Gawker Media merging Gizmodo and io9 teams into a tech super-hub". GigaOM. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "MG/O Media Announces New Editors In Chief Of AV Club, Gizmodo, Jezebel". Cision. August 31, 2021. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  16. ^ "The Messenger To Launch May 15". Axios. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  17. ^ Roush, Chris (March 20, 2024). "Gizmodo promotes Pastore to executive editor". Talking Biz News. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  18. ^ Tani, Maxwell (July 18, 2019). "Gizmodo Media Staff Enraged at New CEO's 'Insane' Direction". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  19. ^ "GMG Union votes no confidence in G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller". Awful Announcing. January 14, 2020. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  20. ^ Eidelson, Josh (February 4, 2021). "G/O Media Told Staff Activism Got Editor Fired, Union Says". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  21. ^ Geier, Thom (March 1, 2022). "Jezebel, Gizmodo, The Root and Other G/O Media Writers Go on Strike". The Wrap. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  22. ^ Tangermann, Victor (June 30, 2023). "Gizmodo and Kotaku Staff Furious After Owner Announces Move to AI Content". Futurism. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  23. ^ Spangler, Todd (July 5, 2023). "Gizmodo's io9 Published an AI-Generated Star Wars Article That Was Filled With Errors". Variety. Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Stenberg, Mark (June 4, 2024). "Gizmodo Acquired by Swiss Media Firm Keleops". Adweek. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  25. ^ Cohen, Claudia (June 4, 2024). "Le groupe média Keleops (Presse Citron, 01Net...) s'offre le site tech américain Gizmodo" [The Keleops media group (Presse Citron, 01Net, etc.) acquires the American tech site Gizmodo]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  26. ^ "Company History". 株式会社メディアジーン (Mediagene Inc.). April 4, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2024. July 2006: Launched GIZMODO JAPAN, the Japanese version of the media blog GIZMODO published in the U.S. and eight European countries
  27. ^ "Gizmodo Japan". メディアジーン (Mediagene). December 15, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  28. ^ a b c "About Gizmodo Australia". Gizmodo Australia. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  29. ^ "Gizmodo Australia". Gizmodo.com.au. August 9, 2012. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  30. ^ Samios, Zoe (December 11, 2018). "Pedestrian TV and Allure merge, with Jason Scott to depart". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  31. ^ Bennett, Lindsay (December 11, 2018). "Pedestrian TV to absorb Allure Media in post-Fairfax consolidation". AdNews. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  32. ^ "Nine merging digital publishers Pedestrian.TV & Allure Media". Mediaweek. December 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  33. ^ "Home page". Pedestrian Group. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  34. ^ Jaspan, Calum (July 8, 2024). "Pedestrian boss to depart as group slashes staff and titles". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  35. ^ Taylor, Josh (July 8, 2024). "Vice, Kotaku, Refinery29 to no longer publish in Australia after Pedestrian Group announces restructure". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  36. ^ "VNU Media stoot computerbladen af" [VNU Media launched the computer magazine]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  37. ^ "Media: HUB neemt titels VNU Media over" [HUB takes over titles from VNU Media]. FONK Magazine (in Dutch). October 25, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  38. ^ "Gizmodo Brazil". Gizmodo.com.br. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  39. ^ "Gizmodo to launch in the UK". Guardian.com. August 31, 2011. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  40. ^ Tamburro, Paul (September 7, 2020). "Kotaku UK and Gizmodo UK shutting down, rights reverted back to G/O Media". GameRevolution. Evolve Media LLC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  41. ^ Wortham, Jenna (January 2, 2008). "Gawker Blasts Into Sci-Fi With New Blog, Io9; a Q&A With Editor Annalee Newitz". Wired. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
  42. ^ "io9 to Become Part of Gizmodo". CBR. November 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  43. ^ "A Message from Your New Editor". December 6, 2021. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  44. ^ a b "New site aims for 'brutally honest' environmental news". Columbia Journalism Review. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on April 2, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  45. ^ Weissman, Cale Guthrie (August 6, 2017). "Gizmodo's New Environmental Site "Earther" Will Chronicle The Earth's Decline". Fast Company. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  46. ^ "2019 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners Announced". SEAL Awards. February 13, 2020. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  47. ^ "Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2020 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners". SEAL Awards. February 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  48. ^ "Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners". SEAL Awards. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  49. ^ Spangler, Todd (November 9, 2023). "Jezebel Shutting Down, Parent Company G/O Media Laying Off 23 Staffers". Variety. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  50. ^ Staff, Gizmodo (October 4, 2011). "About Gizmodo". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  51. ^ Just got laid off from G/O with 20+ staffers (before xmas). I am going to miss my colleagues and am forever grateful that I got to work alongside so many talented people as the last Earthling at @Gizmodo. If you need a climate/science writer or fact-checker, shoot me a DM <3 Archived December 22, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
  52. ^ Needleman, Rafe (January 10, 2008). "Bloggers behaving badly: Gizmodo messes with CES flat screens". Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  53. ^ Lam, Brian (January 10, 2008). "Confessions: The Meanest Thing Gizmodo Did at CES". Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  54. ^ Helft, Miguel; Bilton, Nick (April 19, 2010). "For Apple, Lost iPhone Is a Big Deal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  55. ^ "Man who found — and sold — the missing iPhone unmasked". Today in Tech. Yahoo News. April 29, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  56. ^ a b Lundin, Leigh (May 2, 2010). "The Fourth Estate, The Death of Journalism". Newsworthy. Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  57. ^ Sweet, Ken (April 19, 2010). "Gizmodo paid for iPhone 4G: so are they receivers of stolen goods?". Technology Blog. London: The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  58. ^ Sutter, John (April 26, 2010). "Police seize computers from Gizmodo editor". SciTechBlog. CNN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  59. ^ Calderone, Michael (April 26, 2010). "Silicon Valley cops raid Gizmodo editor's home, take four computers". The Newsroom. Yahoo News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  60. ^ Lundin, Leigh (June 13, 2010). "Prosecutor in Search of a Crime?". Newsworthy. Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  61. ^ Myslewski, Rik (June 4, 2010). "Search begins on seized Gizmodo journo kit". Der Ring des Gizmodophonelungen. San Francisco, California: The Register. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  62. ^ "Apple's iPhone Event Will Be Sept 9th (And We'll Be There)". Newsworthy. Gizmodo. August 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gizmodo.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gizmodo&oldid=1258780048#Australia"
  NODES
camera 1
HOME 4
Intern 3
iOS 2
languages 1
mac 1
Note 2
os 18
server 1
Training 1
web 12