Semafor founder Ben Smith’s book Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral, is set to get the docuseries treatment.
Atlas Media Corp., the non-fiction production company, has optioned the book for a docuseries.
Traffic chronicles the rise and heyday of digital media companies like BuzzFeed and Gawker Media.
But Smith looks at the digital media brands through the lens of the people who founded them, in particular Gawker’s Nick Denton and HuffPost and BuzzFeed’s Jonah Peretti. That focus on ego and competition between founders craving, well, traffic, would naturally lend itself to the personality-driven docuseries treatment.
Smith, of course, sat at the middle of that era. Smith wrote for Politico before becoming the first editor-in-chief for BuzzFeed, building out its news operation. he would go on to write the media column for The New York Times before founding Semafor last year.
Now,...
Atlas Media Corp., the non-fiction production company, has optioned the book for a docuseries.
Traffic chronicles the rise and heyday of digital media companies like BuzzFeed and Gawker Media.
But Smith looks at the digital media brands through the lens of the people who founded them, in particular Gawker’s Nick Denton and HuffPost and BuzzFeed’s Jonah Peretti. That focus on ego and competition between founders craving, well, traffic, would naturally lend itself to the personality-driven docuseries treatment.
Smith, of course, sat at the middle of that era. Smith wrote for Politico before becoming the first editor-in-chief for BuzzFeed, building out its news operation. he would go on to write the media column for The New York Times before founding Semafor last year.
Now,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is a dark moment for frazzled members of the writing fraternity.
Picketers in Hollywood and New York fear a prolonged standoff gripping film and TV. Also troubling, their colleagues in digital media are patching together their résumés as Vice Media and BuzzFeed prepare for crash landings. Will others follow?
Even a digital zealot like Ben Smith sees the moment as “a humbling experience.” His new book, titled Traffic, vividly revisits the picaresque adventures of the “muckrakers, dweebs and wing nuts” who set out to revolutionize legacy journalism. Some became at once rich and unemployed.
The New York Times liked Smith’s book, even though he quit that paper to start yet another digital adventure called Semafor — its fate still to be determined.
Here’s the irony: While Smith and his social media colleagues are making lots of noise for their next adventures, their colleagues in film and TV are frozen in silence.
Picketers in Hollywood and New York fear a prolonged standoff gripping film and TV. Also troubling, their colleagues in digital media are patching together their résumés as Vice Media and BuzzFeed prepare for crash landings. Will others follow?
Even a digital zealot like Ben Smith sees the moment as “a humbling experience.” His new book, titled Traffic, vividly revisits the picaresque adventures of the “muckrakers, dweebs and wing nuts” who set out to revolutionize legacy journalism. Some became at once rich and unemployed.
The New York Times liked Smith’s book, even though he quit that paper to start yet another digital adventure called Semafor — its fate still to be determined.
Here’s the irony: While Smith and his social media colleagues are making lots of noise for their next adventures, their colleagues in film and TV are frozen in silence.
- 5/4/2023
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Gawker is shutting down for a second time.
After first shutting down following a lawsuit from wrestler Hulk Hogan, the pop culture and satire website was acquired by Bustle Digital Group CEO Bryan Goldberg in the summer of 2018 for 1.35 million. Bustle relaunched the site in July 2021, with editor in chief Leah Finnegan at the helm.
Finnegan tweeted that the site is now shuttering again.
“Well, after an incredible 1.5 years, Bdg has decided it is done with Gawker 2.0. Can’t say enough about how proud I am of the site and all the brilliant people who worked to create it, and what a staggering shame this is. I had an absolute blast, and I love you,” Finnegan said in her tweet Wednesday.
The Writers Guild of America, East, which represents Gawker staffers, said about 40 staffers were laid off, including eight members from Gawker, while the others were part-time workers from Bdg’s Women and Lifestyle sites.
After first shutting down following a lawsuit from wrestler Hulk Hogan, the pop culture and satire website was acquired by Bustle Digital Group CEO Bryan Goldberg in the summer of 2018 for 1.35 million. Bustle relaunched the site in July 2021, with editor in chief Leah Finnegan at the helm.
Finnegan tweeted that the site is now shuttering again.
“Well, after an incredible 1.5 years, Bdg has decided it is done with Gawker 2.0. Can’t say enough about how proud I am of the site and all the brilliant people who worked to create it, and what a staggering shame this is. I had an absolute blast, and I love you,” Finnegan said in her tweet Wednesday.
The Writers Guild of America, East, which represents Gawker staffers, said about 40 staffers were laid off, including eight members from Gawker, while the others were part-time workers from Bdg’s Women and Lifestyle sites.
- 2/1/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Francis Lawrence, who directed the last three “Hunger Games” movies and “Red Sparrow,” will direct and produce “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue.”
Charles Randolph, who won an Academy Award for his “Big Short” screenplay, is attached to write the adaptation for the project, which was unveiled in March by producer David A. Neuman, CEO and partner of Blackrock Productions.
Neuman made the announcement Monday and said he is targeting an A-list cast to play the story’s principals — Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, and Nick Denton.
Published in February, “Conspiracy” outlines the tempestuous legal battle between the pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea); Gawker Media and its founder, Denton; and Silicon Valley titan Thiel — who secretly funded Hogan’s successful lawsuit over the publication of a sex tape involving Hogan. The suit resulted in a $140 million judgment against Gawker and led to Gawker’s subsequent bankruptcy.
Charles Randolph, who won an Academy Award for his “Big Short” screenplay, is attached to write the adaptation for the project, which was unveiled in March by producer David A. Neuman, CEO and partner of Blackrock Productions.
Neuman made the announcement Monday and said he is targeting an A-list cast to play the story’s principals — Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, and Nick Denton.
Published in February, “Conspiracy” outlines the tempestuous legal battle between the pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea); Gawker Media and its founder, Denton; and Silicon Valley titan Thiel — who secretly funded Hogan’s successful lawsuit over the publication of a sex tape involving Hogan. The suit resulted in a $140 million judgment against Gawker and led to Gawker’s subsequent bankruptcy.
- 6/11/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
“The Hunger Games” director Francis Lawrence and “The Big Short” writer Charles Randolph are attached to the upcoming adaptation of “Conspiracy,” Ryan Holiday’s book about Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker that forced the site to go bankrupt.
The announcement was made by Blackrock Productions. Blackrock’s CEO David A. Neuman will produce the film with Lawrence. Blackrock says it is looking for top talent to play Hogan, as well as Thiel, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who secretly funded the wrestler’s lawsuit, and Gawker founder Nick Denton.
Also Read: Gawker Slayer Peter Thiel Agrees to Drop Bid for Bankrupt Site - and Its Story Archive
“Ryan Holiday’s book and the story it tells are rare gifts for a screenwriter,” said Randolph, who won an Oscar for “The Big Short.” “These are such larger-than-life characters – strange, new volatile forces in society – and their conflict matters.”
Hogan filed...
The announcement was made by Blackrock Productions. Blackrock’s CEO David A. Neuman will produce the film with Lawrence. Blackrock says it is looking for top talent to play Hogan, as well as Thiel, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who secretly funded the wrestler’s lawsuit, and Gawker founder Nick Denton.
Also Read: Gawker Slayer Peter Thiel Agrees to Drop Bid for Bankrupt Site - and Its Story Archive
“Ryan Holiday’s book and the story it tells are rare gifts for a screenwriter,” said Randolph, who won an Oscar for “The Big Short.” “These are such larger-than-life characters – strange, new volatile forces in society – and their conflict matters.”
Hogan filed...
- 6/11/2018
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Exclusive: David A. Neuman’s Blackrock Productions has acquired rights to develop and produce Ryan Holiday’s Portfolio/Penguin book Conspiracy – Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue which covers the tempestuous legal battle between pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea), Gawker Media and its founder Nick Denton, and Silicon Valley titan Peter Thiel. Thiel secretly funded Hogan's successful lawsuit and triumphant win against the publishing group…...
- 3/7/2018
- Deadline
Gawker founder Nick Denton, took to his personal blog on Monday to pen a personal essay laying out his thoughts on the recent spate of sexual harassment allegations swirling around the political and media firmament over the likes of Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and photographer Terry Richardson. The message delivered: We told you so. “The stories have been circulating on the industry grapevine, and on blogs and social media, and among women especially, for years,” wrote Denton. “The headlines are shocking – unless you read Gawker before it was shut down, in which case this may feel like a throwback.” Also Read:.
- 10/30/2017
- by Jon Levine
- The Wrap
Former Gawker chief Nick Denton says the case of Harvey Weinstein proves Gawker-slayer lawyer Charles Harder isn’t as all-powerful as some people think. Harder represented Weinstein and promised legal action against the New York Times for a story that exposed widespread sexual misconduct accusations against him. But Harder bailed on plans for the suit over the weekend. “Charles Harder is dangerous to media companies to the extent that he has a deep-pocketed backer like Peter Thiel behind him,” Denton told The Wrap. Also Read: Gawker-Killer Lawyer Leaves Harvey Weinstein's Legal Team Without Suing NY TimesNick Denton: Weinstein Case...
- 10/16/2017
- by Jon Levine
- The Wrap
Sarah Palin has hired the same lawyers for her lawsuit against the New York Times who helped win a $140 million jury verdict last year against the website Gawker on behalf of Hulk Hogan. Palin’s lawyers — Kenneth G. Turkel and Shane B. Vogt of the Tampa, Fla. law firm of Bajo Cuva Cohen & Turkel — were part of a team of lawyers who won a privacy case against Gawker and its founder Nick Denton. The huge verdict helped push Gawker and its founder Nick Denton into bankruptcy, and Gawker ended up paying $31 million to settle the case, abandoning...
- 6/28/2017
- by Susan Seager
- The Wrap
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press Trailer Brian Knappenberger‘s Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (2017) movie trailer stars Hulk Hogan a.k.a. Terry Bollea, Nick Denton, Peter Teal, Donald Trump, and Sheldon Adelson. Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press‘ plot synopsis: “The trial between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media pitted privacy rights against freedom [...]
Continue reading: Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press (2017) Movie Trailer: The U.S. Press is Endangered...
Continue reading: Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press (2017) Movie Trailer: The U.S. Press is Endangered...
- 6/18/2017
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
To be honest I’m not sure how many people this trial really affected outside of the media and people in the digital media space, but being a site owner this trial hit very very close to home. Twoing the line between privacy, defamation, and copyright is a humongous issue for websites and this trial put it at the forefront and into the mainstream. For those of you who don’t remember, Hulk Hogan won a massive lawsuit of over $100 million against Gawker Media effectively putting them out of business and delivering a shattering blow to then owner Nick Denton. Now
Check out the Trailer for the Hulk Hogan Vs Gawker Documentary...
Check out the Trailer for the Hulk Hogan Vs Gawker Documentary...
- 6/16/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
Hulk Hogan and Gawker step into the wrestling ring in the new trailer for Sundance documentary “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press.” “Nobody Speak” premiered at Sundance earlier this year and will be released on Netflix June 23. When the online tabloid Gawker posted a surreptitiously filmed sex tape of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, it ignited a high stakes legal battle that pit privacy rights against the first amendment. The documentary covers the staggering verdict that bankrupted Gawker and its founder Nick Denton — a case that exposed a shadowy figure behind the scenes: Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel....
- 6/15/2017
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
The annual jamboree in Austin, Texas, has been about so much more than just film and TV for many years.
Attendees can listen to keynotes by extraordinary people on all manner of topics – be they sports, medicine, politics, technology, activism – the list goes on.
True to Screen’s roots, the list that follows is culled mostly from the world of content creation with one or two gravity-defying exceptions.
SXSW runs from March 10-19 and the film festival opens with the world premiere of Terrence Malick’s Song To Song. Click here for the full roster of events.
Baby Driver
March 11. After Edgar Wright quit as director of Ant-Man over creative differences, he went to work on something creatively different. The result will be on view at SXSW as the action thriller gets its world premiere. Ansel Elgort stars as the eponymous getaway driver; a man in love who tries to break away from the life of crime...
Attendees can listen to keynotes by extraordinary people on all manner of topics – be they sports, medicine, politics, technology, activism – the list goes on.
True to Screen’s roots, the list that follows is culled mostly from the world of content creation with one or two gravity-defying exceptions.
SXSW runs from March 10-19 and the film festival opens with the world premiere of Terrence Malick’s Song To Song. Click here for the full roster of events.
Baby Driver
March 11. After Edgar Wright quit as director of Ant-Man over creative differences, he went to work on something creatively different. The result will be on view at SXSW as the action thriller gets its world premiere. Ansel Elgort stars as the eponymous getaway driver; a man in love who tries to break away from the life of crime...
- 3/10/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, and Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniel Espinosa's Life will make its world premiere as the closing night film at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival.
Press Release: Austin, Texas, February 22, 2017 - South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 10-19, 2017) announced the World Premiere of Life directed by Daniel Espinosa as its Closing Night Film on Saturday March 18, 2017 at the Zach Theatre. Columbia Pictures and Skydance’s Life is a terrifying sci-fi thriller about a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station whose mission of discovery turns to one of primal fear when they find a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars, and now threatens the crew and all life on Earth.
“We are thrilled to close out the 2017 SXSW Film Festival with such a special film as Life,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “Our audiences will love this taut...
Press Release: Austin, Texas, February 22, 2017 - South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 10-19, 2017) announced the World Premiere of Life directed by Daniel Espinosa as its Closing Night Film on Saturday March 18, 2017 at the Zach Theatre. Columbia Pictures and Skydance’s Life is a terrifying sci-fi thriller about a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station whose mission of discovery turns to one of primal fear when they find a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars, and now threatens the crew and all life on Earth.
“We are thrilled to close out the 2017 SXSW Film Festival with such a special film as Life,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “Our audiences will love this taut...
- 2/22/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Brian Knappenberger’s documentary Nobody Speak snagged a $2 million Netflix deal during the Sundance Film Festival, one of the docus that made waves in Park City at the just-wrapped fest. The latest pic from the documentarian, last at Sundance in 2014 with The Internet's Own Boy: The Story Of Aaron Swartz, features interviews with Gawker founder Nick Denton, journalists and other in-the-know commentators who chronicle the epic court battle between Hulk Hogan and Gawker…...
- 2/1/2017
- Deadline
Nobody Speak: Gawker, Hogan, and Trials of a Free Press uses a salacious story and website as the launching pad to discuss where we currently are, so much so that I imagine director Brian Knappenberger — who uses footage from President Trump’s infamous press conference only a few days before the film’s Sundance premiere — may wish to stay on the story. Gawker, a site spun out of Gizmodo, was founded to share the types of stories mainstream news outlets would often shy away from, including celebrity sex tapes, outings, drug use, and allegations that have swirled but not picked up traction. They’ve featured Rob Ford smoking crack, Bill Cosby’s multiple accusers, Hillary Clinton’s emails, Tom Cruise’s prominent role in Scientology, and the one that brought them down: the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape recorded for private use by Hogan pal and infamous Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem,...
- 1/30/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Netflix is closing in on a deal for the worldwide distribution rights to the documentary “Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press.” Five companies started a bidding war for the Sundance Film Festival entry, which premieres Tuesday in the U.S. Documentary Competition section, but Netflix seems positioned to win the rights for around $2 million, Deadline reports.
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary focuses on the trial between Hogan (real name: Terry Gene Bollea) and Gawker Media that centered on founder Nick Denton’s decision to publish part of a secretly videotaped sexual encounter between Hogan and the wife of his former best friend. More than just an inside take on the well-publicized legal battle, the doc raises important questions about freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Submarine negotiated the deal, which was Netflix’s third documentary pickup at Sundance this year following “Casting...
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary focuses on the trial between Hogan (real name: Terry Gene Bollea) and Gawker Media that centered on founder Nick Denton’s decision to publish part of a secretly videotaped sexual encounter between Hogan and the wife of his former best friend. More than just an inside take on the well-publicized legal battle, the doc raises important questions about freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Submarine negotiated the deal, which was Netflix’s third documentary pickup at Sundance this year following “Casting...
- 1/24/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Netflix is near a world rights deal for Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press. Five outlets bid, but it looks like Netflix is closing for around $2 million. The Brian Knappenberger-directed documentary focuses on a case that created a chill effect for media. A sex tape of wrestler Hulk Hogan in the clinches with a friend’s wife was depicted and ridiculed on the Gawker website. Hogan waged a pricey legal campaign against Nick Denton’s…...
- 1/23/2017
- Deadline
This year’s Sundance Film Festival is mere days from unspooling in snowy Park City, Utah and, with it comes a brand new year of indie filmmaking to get excited about. As ever, the annual festival is playing home to dozens of feature films, short offerings and technologically-influenced experiences, and while there’s plenty to anticipate seeing, we’ve waded through the lineup to pick out the ones we’re most looking forward to checking out.
From returning filmmakers like Alex Ross Perry and Gillian Robesepierre to a handful of long-gestating passion projects and at least one film about a ghost, we’ve got a little something for every stripe of film fan.
Read More: Sundance 2017: Check Out the Full Lineup, Including Competition Titles, Premieres and Shorts
Ahead, check out 20 titles we’re excited to finally check out at this year’s festival.
“Landline”
The trifecta behind previous Sundance...
From returning filmmakers like Alex Ross Perry and Gillian Robesepierre to a handful of long-gestating passion projects and at least one film about a ghost, we’ve got a little something for every stripe of film fan.
Read More: Sundance 2017: Check Out the Full Lineup, Including Competition Titles, Premieres and Shorts
Ahead, check out 20 titles we’re excited to finally check out at this year’s festival.
“Landline”
The trifecta behind previous Sundance...
- 1/11/2017
- by Chris O'Falt, Eric Kohn, Graham Winfrey, Jude Dry, Kate Erbland, Steve Greene and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Gawker Media has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with Hulk Hogan, according to multiple reports, ending a years-long legal battle waged against it with the partial support of tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
As Gawker founder Nick Denton wrote in a blog post this week announcing the settlement: “The saga is over.”
The deal requires Gawker to pay Hogan (né Terry Bollea) $31 million, and he will further receive some portion of the proceeds from Gawker’s $135 million sale to Univision, according to CNBC, NPR and The New York Times.
Hogan, a former professional wrestler and reality TV star, sued the media company...
As Gawker founder Nick Denton wrote in a blog post this week announcing the settlement: “The saga is over.”
The deal requires Gawker to pay Hogan (né Terry Bollea) $31 million, and he will further receive some portion of the proceeds from Gawker’s $135 million sale to Univision, according to CNBC, NPR and The New York Times.
Hogan, a former professional wrestler and reality TV star, sued the media company...
- 11/3/2016
- by Adam Carlson
- PEOPLE.com
Gawker founder Nick Denton on Wednesday announced a settlement in the long-brewing legal battle with Hulk Hogan over his site’s publication of portions of a sex tape featuring the former wrestler. According to court documents, Hogan will receive $31 million plus a share of distributions from Gawker’s recent $135 million sale to Univision. “After four years of litigation funded by a billionaire with a grudge going back even further, a settlement has been reached. The saga is over,” Denton wrote. “Life is short, for most of us.” In March, a jury awarded Hogan a total of $140 million over the publication of the.
- 11/2/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
On Tuesday, Gawker asked a bankruptcy judge for permission to conduct an examination into Peter Thiel's role in funding litigation against the company. The debtor once led by Nick Denton also is suggesting that it could have legal claims against Thiel. Thiel, a Silicon Valley billionaire who co-funded PayPal and was one of the first investors in Facebook, provided Hulk Hogan financial backing for a privacy lawsuit against Gawker over the publishing of a sex tape. The case resulted in a $140 million judgment that spurred Gawker to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In bankruptcy, Gawker sold many of its
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- 10/11/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Univision announced that Raju Narisetti has been named CEO for Gizmodo Media Group, essentially replacing Gawker founder Nick Denton as the head of the digital media conglomerate named for the now-defunct gossip media site Gawker. Narisetti will be responsible for managing all business and editorial operations for what remains of the old Gawker, now called the Gizmodo Media Group, which includes Gizmodo, Jezebel, Deadspin, Kotaku, Jalopnik and Lifehacker. “It is a privilege to be responsible for leading this unwaveringly energetic team of journalists and business staff,” Narisetti said in a statement. “As part of Univision, we will now be more ambitious.
- 9/21/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker founder Nick Denton authored one final story for the site on Monday, a post titled “How Things Work” set to serve as the blog’s last before it shuts down for good. Named for one of the site’s popular tags, which Denton explains was attached to posts “revealing the sausage-making, the secret ways that power manifests itself,” the post reflects on the site’s history and downfall, comparing it to a news story Gawker itself would rabidly cover. “Gawker will be missed,” Denton wrote. “But in dramatic terms, it is a fitting conclusion to this experiment in what...
- 8/22/2016
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Facebook’s recent algorithmic shifts dropped a big bomb on the bottom lines of many publishers with a newly emphasized “Friends and Family First” approach. The resulting handwringing, however, missed a broader question: What should publishers be doing, on Facebook and everywhere else, to build sustainable businesses for the long-term?
It’s increasingly possible, perhaps even obvious by now, that we’re doing this all wrong. To make matters worse, we’re almost certainly feeding into our readers’ problematic and compulsive behaviors.
Publishers have been shoveling content into the Internet maw at increasing rates, trying to generate enough cash to keep going. But they face an impossible conundrum. Even as they create more content to bring in more ad dollars, all that content devalues the ad rates the stories can attract. More creates less, in a vicious cycle.
Yes, there are some substantial new publishers (Vox, BuzzFeed, Vice) and some...
It’s increasingly possible, perhaps even obvious by now, that we’re doing this all wrong. To make matters worse, we’re almost certainly feeding into our readers’ problematic and compulsive behaviors.
Publishers have been shoveling content into the Internet maw at increasing rates, trying to generate enough cash to keep going. But they face an impossible conundrum. Even as they create more content to bring in more ad dollars, all that content devalues the ad rates the stories can attract. More creates less, in a vicious cycle.
Yes, there are some substantial new publishers (Vox, BuzzFeed, Vice) and some...
- 8/22/2016
- by David Bloom
- Tubefilter.com
Univision is soon to be the proud owner of various Gawker Media blogs, but as a condition for closing the sale, it requested and got Nick Denton to agree to a non-compete. In exchange for, among other things, not hiring or soliciting Univision's employees, Denton will receive $16,666 a month for the next two years. On Friday, Denton brought the deal to a bankruptcy judge for approval. On Thursday, it was announced that Gawker.com would be shutting down. Late in the afternoon, a judge approved Univision's $135 million deal to purchase Gawker assets with reference to how the
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- 8/19/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nick Denton’s Gawker.com is closing after parent company Gawker Media was purchased by Univision. While fans mourn the loss of their favorite gossip site, several past victims are probably celebrating. Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel forced Gawker into bankruptcy when he financed Hulk Hogan‘s lawsuit against the site because he was angry the site outed him as gay. Thiel is obviously happy Gawker is closing, but he’s not alone. Hulk Hogan was awarded a $140 judgement when he sued for invasion of privacy after the site published portions of a sex tape. Jimmy Kimmel got upset in...
- 8/19/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
There should be no ambiguity about what happened in the battle royale between Gawker and Peter Thiel. Peter Thiel won. Gawker lost. And democracy took a worrisome blow from the One Percent. Nick Denton is bankrupted. Gawker is sold and about to shut. Meanwhile Thiel is just fine, counting his money and for all we know plotting his next media takedown. (I hear he really didn’t like The Advocate’s coverage of his Rnc speech. Watch out!) Also Read: Gawker.com to Go Dark Next Week Thus Hulk Hogan, who started it all becomes, a detail in a larger...
- 8/19/2016
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Gawker.com will shut down next week, but if founder Nick Denton is so inclined — and a few chips fall his way — it’s not inconceivable to imagine him overseeing the controversial site again. Jerrold Bregman, bankruptcy expert at Brutzkus Gubner, thinks Denton can get his website back if the $140 million judgment awarded to Hulk Hogan in his case against Gawker is drastically reduced — or tossed altogether — upon appeal. “If the judgment is reduced, that means far less cash would be needed to pay Hogan through the bankruptcy, and the equity owners of the company would then receive the net remaining proceeds,...
- 8/18/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker founder Nick Denton told staffers on Thursday that he will not be joining Univision now that it has purchased Gawker Media and will “move on to other projects, working to make the web a forum for the open exchange of ideas and information, but out of the news and gossip business.” Denton addressed his staff in a memo soon after Univision announced that it would shut down Gawker.com next week. “I am proud of what we have achieved at Gawker Media Group, both in our work and our business, never more so than in these last few months,...
- 8/18/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker.com will shut down next week, the company announced on Thursday. Univision won an auction earlier this week for parent company Gawker Media and will retain the digital media conglomerate’s other assets while shutting down operations for the namesake website. Gawker founder Nick Denton informed staffers this afternoon of the often-controversial site’s fate, according to a message posted on Gawker.com. A New York bankruptcy court is expected to formally approve Univision’s $135 million offer to purchase Gawker Media later this afternoon. Gawker.com staff will soon be assigned to other editorial roles, either at one of...
- 8/18/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
The end of Gawker.com is near. The 14-year-old website will shut down next week, according to a post on Gawker.com. Univision on Tuesday agreed to buy the six other sites, including Jezebel, Deadspin and Gizmodo, that make up Gawker Media for $135 million, but the broadcaster did not plan to operate the flagship site.Gawker Media founder Nick Denton told staff about the shuttering of the website on Thursday, per Gawker.com. The closure of the website doesn't necessarily mean that those employees will be laid off. Gawker.com reports that staffers will be
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- 8/18/2016
- by Natalie Jarvey
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gawker founder Nick Denton “will have no future involvement” once the blog network completes its sale to Univision according to the Wall Street Journal. On Tuesday, Univision won the auction for Gawker Media with a winning bid of $135 million. A hearing to confirm the bid is set for Thursday and then a bankruptcy judge will have to approve the deal before it is made official. Citing a person familiar with the arrangement, WSJ said Denton lost control of his company, which is obviously true for now. However, CNN’s Brian Stelter is among a number of media pundits who have...
- 8/17/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Univision has emerged as the winning bidder in the auction to buy embattled online publisher Gawker Media, bringing about the end of 14 years of independence under founder and CEO Nick Denton. The broadcast company has agreed to pay $135 million for all seven of Gawker's websites, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. Denton confirmed the sale, which was first reported by Recode, Tuesday in a statement. "Gawker Media Group has agreed this evening to sell our business and popular brands to Univision, one of America’s largest media companies that is rapidly assembling the leading digital media group for
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- 8/16/2016
- by Natalie Jarvey, Ashley Cullins
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Final bids for Gawker Media are due at 5 p.m. Et today, and the New York Times has named Univision, New York Magazine, Penske Media, Vox Media and Ziff Davis as the favorites to take over the company founded by Nick Denton. Back in June, Gawker entered into an asset purchase agreement to sell its seven media brands to Ziff Davis for a starting price of $90 million. The sale will be conducted via bankruptcy court auction, during which other prospective buyers can bid up the price for the company as long as bids are in before the 5 p.m. deadline.
- 8/15/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker Media and Hulk Hogan are in preliminary talks to settle the $140 million invasion-of-privacy judgment that has plunged the blog network into bankruptcy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Citing people sources with the matter, the Journal said similar discussions had taken place throughout the legal process, sometimes at the request of a judge, but that they have not yielded any progress. “We’ve been hearing these rumblings many times over the years when the judge ordered settlement discussions, and you know where we are now despite that,” Gawker said in a statement to WSJ. Also Read: Gawker's Nick Denton...
- 8/8/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker Media founder Nick Denton filed for personal bankruptcy protection on Monday, just months after a Florida jury ordered him to pay millions to Hulk Hogan in the sex tape case, reports say. Denton's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing puts a stay on Hogan's efforts to collect or move to seize his assets, The New York Times reports. The move comes nearly five months after a Florida jury awarded Hogan $140 million - $115 in damages and $25 million in punitive damages - in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit after Gawker posted portions of a sex tape involving the wrestler having sex with his best friend's then-wife in 2012. "Ever since the verdict,...
- 8/2/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- PEOPLE.com
Gawker founder Nick Denton filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, after being hit with a multi-million dollar verdict over the publication of sex-tape footage featuring pro wrestler Hulk Hogan. A filing obtained by TheWrap indicates that Denton estimates that his liabilities are in the range of just over $100 million to $500 million. Denton’s biggest creditor by far is Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, thanks to a $125 million litigation judgment, which Denton’s filing notes is pending appeal. Also Read: Gawker Gave Secret $200K Loan to Nick Denton Before Bankruptcy, Hulk Hogan Says Denton’s filing also lists a $100 million debt to.
- 8/1/2016
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Nick Denton, having created and shepherded one of the most influential digital news networks only to rocked by a Florida jury who came to the conclusion that his Gawker had gone too far in the posting of a celebrity's sex tape, has filed for personal bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 filing on Monday occurs after a flurry of activity in the months since Hulk Hogan prevailed in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit stemming from an October 2012 post where Gawker invited its readers to watch the former professional wrestler have sex with a mysterious woman later revealed to be the wife of his best
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- 8/1/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gawker founder Nick Denton appears headed for personal bankruptcy after a bankruptcy judge on Tuesday refused to stop Hulk Hogan's collection pursuits. Denton had hoped that Gawker's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed on June 10 would give him temporary relief from his portion of a $140 million judgment in favor of Hogan, who prevailed in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit over the posting of a sex tape. In conjunction with Gawker's bankruptcy, Denton's company brought an adversary case against its legal foes and warned that if Hogan was allowed to pursue Denton, it would distract from the planned sale of Gawker. The two sides
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- 7/19/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hulk Hogan claims that Gawker Media made a secret $200,000 loan to owner Nick Denton before the ex-wrestler’s lawsuit led the website to file for bankruptcy. In a new filing, Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, states that Gawker made the “very unusual move” on the brink of going into Chapter 11 last month. Also Read: Peter Thiel's Lawyer Is Now Going After Gawker's Deadspin “During the week ending June 10, 2016, at the same time that it was negotiating a Dip loan that has an effective interest rate near 30%, either Debtor or one of its affiliates made a payment of.
- 7/6/2016
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
Hulk Hogan doesn't think that Gawker's Chapter 11 should save Nick Denton from having to declare personal bankruptcy. In new filings on Tuesday, Hogan's lawyers accuse Denton of doing things like getting a pre-bankruptcy loan from Gawker and making misrepresentations to a Florida court. The former professional wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, continues his drive to collect on a $140.1 million judgment resulting from a March trial in Florida over Gawker's posting of an excerpt of a sex tape. On June 10, Gawker filed for bankruptcy and also primed the way to sell the company at auction to Ziff
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- 7/5/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not even a bankruptcy and a temporary restraining order can keep Hulk Hogan and Gawker from continuing to fight with each other. On June 10, after a Florida judge handed down a $140 million final judgment in favor of Hulk Hogan in the invasion-of-privacy lawsuit over the posting of a sex tape, Gawker Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The media company also brought an adversary case against its legal foes as part of an effort to hold back Hogan and potentially stave off a personal bankruptcy for Gawker's founder and owner Nick Denton. Fortunately for Denton, upon some
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- 6/28/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gawker founder Nick Denton said he “absolutely” regrets publishing some stories, but doesn’t feel the consequences are as serious as a mistake the New York Times made. “I don’t think we’ve ever made a misstep as big as say the New York Times’ reporting of Saddam Hussein‘s weapons of mass destruction,” Denton told Time. “We haven’t gotten anybody into any wars. But we’ve absolutely made mistakes.” “If you’re not making some , you’re probably not doing your job,” he added during the interview. Also Read: Why Nick Denton Didn't Show Up to Gawker's...
- 6/23/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Nick Denton was a no-show for today’s adversary proceeding in Gawker Media Group’s bankruptcy case on Wednesday in New York City. His attorneys told Judge Stuart M. Bernstein that Denton wanted to remain at the office and work with his employees until it becomes necessary that he appears in court. “Because the company is 190 employees and there is a lot of activity and obviously a lot of litigation going on, Mr. Nick Denton, who is the CEO… is not in the courtroom today,” Gawker attorney Gregg Galardi said. Also Read: Gawker Gets $22 Million Bankruptcy Loan (Report) Gawker Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last.
- 6/15/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker Media Group has received a $22 million loan during its bankruptcy proceedings to stay afloat as it awaits a pending sale, according to media reports. Wall Street Journal reports Cerberus Capital Management has agreed to give Nick Denton’s company $14 million on an interim basis, with another $8 million to be provided upon final bankruptcy court approval. Reps for the company did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. Also Read: What's Next for Gawker - And Will Hulk Hogan Get His Money? Last week, Gawker entered into an asset purchase agreement to sell its seven media brands to Ziff Davis.
- 6/14/2016
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
Within the span of a few hours on Friday, Nick Denton’s Gawker Media Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and entered into an asset purchase agreement to sell its seven media brands to Ziff Davis. But that doesn’t mean Ziff Davis now owns Gawker Media and its seven online brands, Jerrold Bregman, a partner at Brutzkus Gubner who specializes in Chapter 11 and litigation matters, told TheWrap. Nor does it mean that Hulk Hogan will receive the full $140 million judgment from his successful invasion of privacy lawsuit against the company for the 2012 publication of excerpts of a sex tape depicting.
- 6/10/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker Media Group has entered into an asset purchase agreement to sell its seven media brands to Ziff Davis, following the company’s announcement earlier this morning that it’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. “We are encouraged by the agreement with Ziff Davis, one of the most rigorously managed and profitable companies in digital media. A combination would marry Ziff Davis’ strength in e-commerce, licensing and video with Gmg’s premium media brands,” Gawker founder Nick Denton said. The sale will be conducted via bankruptcy court auction, during which other prospective buyers can bid up the price for the company.
- 6/10/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
Gawker Media has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a Florida judge issued a $140 million final judgment in favor of Hulk Hogan in the invasion-of-privacy lawsuit over the posting of a sex tape. The online news organization founded in 2003 by Nick Denton which now includes other sites like Deadspin, Jezebel and Kotaku, reports that it has less than $100 million in assets and hundreds of millions in liabilities. Gawker is currently facing a wrath of litigation that's been connected to Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. Besides the Hogan suit, there are claims from a journalist and
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- 6/10/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nick Denton’s embattled Gawker Media has entertained multiple acquisition bids worth $100 million or more, an individual familiar with the company’s operations told TheWrap. The source denied a recent New York Post report of a $50 million – $70 million pricetag for the company, which is appealing a potentially devastating $140 million court verdict over the 2012 publication of portions of a sex tape featuring former wrestler Hulk Hogan. According to the individual, the lower estimates for Gawker are “wrong, inaccurate and silly” since several offers “over nine figures” have already come in. A spokesman for Gawker disputed the idea there are...
- 6/3/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
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