Salon, described as the internet's oldest general interest publication, closes after 31 years
Salon, founded in San Francisco in 1995, says its publishing model is no longer sustainable as the business realities of independent digital journalism change.
At a glance
- Salon announced on Thursday that it is closing after more than three decades of publishing.
- The outlet said its publishing model is no longer sustainable as the business realities of independent digital journalism changed.
- Founded in San Francisco in 1995, Salon won awards including Time's 1996 website of the year.
Salon, the pioneering digital publication founded in San Francisco in 1995, announced on Thursday that it is closing after more than three decades of publishing. The closure comes weeks before the site's anniversary on 20 November.
The outlet said it was not simply a website. "Salon was never just a website," it said in a statement. "It was an idea about what journalism could be, born at a moment when the internet was still a largely unexplored frontier."
A publishing model judged unsustainable
Salon attributed the decision to shifting economics in digital media. "The business realities of independent digital journalism have changed profoundly over the years. After careful consideration, we have reached the difficult decision that our publishing model is no longer sustainable," the statement said. "We know this news will be deeply disappointing to many of you, and we share that sadness."
Founded in 1995, Salon built its reputation on politics, arts and culture coverage. It said its output "helped pioneer a form of journalism that would come to define an entirely new era of publishing." In the 2000s it moved most of its editorial staff to New York City.
A 2011 piece in the Columbia Journalism Review described Salon as the oldest general interest publication on the internet.
Awards and legacy
The publication won numerous awards during the 1990s, including 1996's website of the year from Time magazine and 1997's best website from BusinessWeek.
Salon thanked the many people who worked on the site over the years. "We are profoundly grateful to the journalists, editors, photographers, producers, designers, business teams and countless other colleagues who brought this publication to life across its many chapters," it said.
The outlet framed its three-decade run as the measure of its work. "Thirty-one years is a remarkable run," Salon said. "What matters most is what happened during those years: the journalism, the ideas, the voices, the conversations and the community that grew around them."
Source: The Guardian.
Questions and answers
- Why is Salon shutting down?
- Salon said the business realities of independent digital journalism had changed profoundly and that its publishing model is no longer sustainable, calling the decision difficult.
- When did Salon launch and how long did it publish?
- Salon was founded in San Francisco in 1995 and announced its closure weeks before its anniversary on 20 November, describing it as a 31-year run.
- What kind of journalism did Salon publish?
- Salon built its reputation on politics, arts and culture coverage, and said its output helped pioneer a form of journalism that defined an entirely new era of publishing.
