Jonah Peretti

Jonah Peretti is an American entrepreneur and media executive, best known as a co-founder of the digital media companies The Huffington Post and BuzzFeed. His career has focused on understanding and leveraging the dynamics of viral content and social media to build influential media platforms. Peretti's work has significantly shaped the landscape of online journalism and digital advertising in the 21st century.

Early life and education

Born in Berkeley, California, he is the son of a University of California, Berkeley professor and a filmmaker. He attended University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies. His interest in media and technology led him to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's MIT Media Lab, where he completed a Master of Science in media arts and sciences. His graduate thesis explored how information spreads through email and early online networks, foreshadowing his future career.

Career

After MIT, Peretti worked briefly as a computer science teacher at a middle school in New Orleans. He first gained widespread attention in 2001 for a humorous email exchange with Nike, Inc. regarding the customization of sneakers with the word "sweatshop," which was circulated virally and covered by media outlets like The Today Show. This experience informed his early consulting work on viral marketing for companies such as MTV and Sony. In 2005, he collaborated with Ken Lerer and Arianna Huffington to launch The Huffington Post, serving as its first Chief Technology Officer.

BuzzFeed and HuffPost

In 2006, while still at The Huffington Post, Peretti founded BuzzFeed as an internal project at BuzzFeed, Inc.'s parent company to experiment with contagious content. The site initially focused on tracking internet memes and lightweight quizzes before expanding into serious news and investigative journalism. Under his leadership as Chief Executive Officer, BuzzFeed grew into a major digital media powerhouse, known for pioneering native advertising through its BuzzFeed Creative division and producing award-winning reporting. AOL's acquisition of The Huffington Post in 2011 made Peretti a significant shareholder, and he later led BuzzFeed's acquisition of HuffPost from Verizon Media in 2020.

The Arena Group

In 2022, Peretti stepped down as CEO of BuzzFeed, Inc. to become the Chief Executive Officer of The Arena Group, a digital media holding company. The Arena Group's portfolio includes titles like Sports Illustrated, TheStreet, and Men's Journal, which it operates under licensing agreements. In this role, he focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and data to optimize content and advertising across the company's diverse properties, navigating the challenges of the modern media economy.

Personal life

He is married to Andrea Peretti, a professor and researcher, and they have two children. The family resides in New York City. Peretti is known for his lectures on media theory at institutions like the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and has been a featured speaker at events such as the Code Conference. His sister, Chelsea Peretti, is a well-known comedian and actress.

Category:American technology entrepreneurs Category:American magazine founders Category:1974 births Category:Living people