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    Univision unloads Gizmodo, The Onion to private equity firm

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1639 Views
    In this June 14, 2006, file photo a journalist holds a microphone bearing the Univision logo in Los Angeles. Univision is selling Gizmodo, The Onion and other English-language sites to the private equity firm Great Hill Partners. Terms were not disclosed. The Spanish-language broadcaster bought much of what was then known as Gawker Media for $135 million in 2016 after the gossipy, confrontational media company lost a privacy suit against Hulk Hogan.(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

    By Tali Arbel, Business Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    Univision has sold tech site Gizmodo, satirical-news hub The Onion and other English-language sites to the private equity firm Great Hill Partners. Terms were not disclosed.

    The Spanish-language broadcaster bought much of what was then known as Gawker Media for $135 million in 2016 after the gossipy, confrontational media company lost a privacy suit against Hulk Hogan. (The original Gawker.com has a different owner. It is being relaunched by another digital media company, Bustle.)

    Just a few years ago, Univision was investing in English-language digital sites aimed at young people. It had bought The Onion in January 2016 and African-American news site The Root in 2015.

    But the strategy didn't turn out well. The sites were not profitable and the company has refocused on Spanish TV. Univision, based in New York, put them up for sale last summer.

    Several digital-media companies have recently run into trouble. For example, BuzzFeed laid off workers to help it become profitable, while Mic sold itself to Bustle after firing most of its employees. The online-ad business is dominated by tech giants Google and Facebook. Amazon is also encroaching on that space.

    Great Hill said Monday that it's calling its new media company "G/O Media." The collection of sites also includes the female-focused Jezebel, sports site Deadspin and pop-culture site "A.V. Club." James Spanfeller, a digital-media veteran who is the former Forbes.com CEO, will lead the company and is also a "significant" investor in it.

    Great Hill has previously invested in media companies, including Ziff Davis, the publisher of PCMag.com, which it sold in 2012.

    Tags:GizmodoGreat Hill PartnersThe OnionUnivision



    Kevin Costner to receive MPSE Filmmaker Award; Greg Hedgepath named recipient of MPSE Career Achievement honor

    Thursday, November 21, 2024
    Kevin Costner (photo courtesy of Kevin Costner)

    Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) will present Oscar®-winning filmmaker and actor Kevin Costner with the 2025 MPSE Filmmaker Award, bestowed annually to a filmmaker of distinction. And supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath will receive the Career Achievement Award for his prolific career in sound editing. Both awards will be presented during MPSE’s 72nd Annual Golden Reel Awards Gala on February 23, 2025 at the Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

    The MPSE Filmmaker Award is bestowed upon an individual outside the sound community whose career has demonstrated a great appreciation and understanding of the impact of sound editing. The MPSE Career Achievement Award is presented to a person whose career has made a significant impact on the sound community through exemplary work, service or leadership.

    “Kevin Costner has captivated audiences with his powerful storytelling throughout his illustrious career,” said MPSE president David Barber. “From epic Westerns to poignant dramas, his use of sound as an integral component of his cinematic storytelling has stirred our emotions and immersed viewers in the worlds he’s created for decades. This passion for sound is abundantly clear in his latest ambitious project, the Horizon saga. We are thrilled to honor him with the Filmmaker Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the art of storytelling through sound in film and television.”

    Barber added, “Greg Hedgepath is a true titan in the world of sound. His contributions to cinema are immense, spanning decades and encompassing a remarkable range of genres. From the heart-pounding intensity of ‘Speed’ and ‘Twister’ to the nuanced drama of ‘Selma’ and ‘Straight Outta Compton’, Greg’s work has consistently elevated... Read More

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