Univision expands digital reach with Gawker deal
Gawker Media founder Nick Denton emphasized continuity after the company’s news/commentary blogs were sold to Univision Communications this week. In the $135 million deal announced Tuesday night, Gawker employees “are protected and will continue their work under new ownership,” said the British journalist, who founded the freewheeling company in 2005. But the blogs’ days as independent operations — answerable only to Denton and a few editors — will be over once the sale is finalized after the bankruptcy court approves it this week. The seven blogs bought by Univision, best known for the Spanish-language TV network that carries its name, will be merged into the company’s fastgrowing English-language digital media division, Fusion Media. And the digital publishing units in the network likely will have to learn to get along, share resources, create video content for and cross-promote each other. The final days of Gawker Media — and what triggered its end — have been well-chronicled. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June and put its assets up for sale after a jury ordered it to pay $140 million to Hulk Hogan after an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit brought by the former pro wrestler. Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan, sued Gawker after the site posted a video in 2012 of him having sex with his former best friend’s wife. After a claim reconciliation process by creditors that will be overseen by the bankruptcy court, Hogan and other creditors likely will share in the sales proceeds, says Jeremy Hollembeak, a bankruptcy attorney at Kobre & Kim. “It’s the biggest claim, but it’s not the only claim.” But for Gawker employees, the sale is a chance to be “disentangled from the legal campaign” and be part of a new owner that is “devoted to vibrant journalism,” Denton says. Univision and Gawker declined to comment. All seven of Gawker’s blogs are being acquired — flagship site Gawker.com a ( newsand -gossip blog about celebrities, media personalities and politicians); Lifehacker Deadspin (tips); (sports); Jezebel (women’s interests); Kotaku Jalopnik (gaming); (cars), and Gizmodo (technology). Univision’s track record as an online publisher is short, having kept its editorial focus on its Spanish-language TV network that airs telenovelas, sports, sitcoms, reality shows and news for the growing Hispanic population in the U.S. But with plans to float shares in an initial public offering later this year, Univision has bigger ambitions and is on a mission to diversify and broaden its audience. One of its key targets for new revenue: English-speaking Millennials who are willing to experiment with new news sources and don’t mind a bit of pizzazz in editorial presentation. And if there’s one thing Gawker knows well, it’s snark and attitude in writing. Gawker’s blogs will provide an immediate jolt to Univision’s digital publishing goals, which include generating enough online traffic to compete with other ballyhooed digital natives, such as BuzzFeed and Vox Media. Gawker’s blogs generate about 56 million unique visitors a month, according to media analytics firm comScore.