The Onion

The Onion
source
Title	The Onion
Category	Satire, News satire
Company	G/O Media
Founded	29 August 1988
Country	United States
Based	Chicago, Illinois
Language	English

The Onion. It is an American digital media company and newspaper organization that specializes in satirical journalism and news satire. Founded in 1988 by two University of Wisconsin–Madison students, Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson, it began as a weekly print publication in Madison, Wisconsin. The publication is renowned for its deadpan parody of traditional news media, employing a consistent style of headlines and reporting to comment on current events, politics, and popular culture.

History

The publication was launched in Madison, Wisconsin, with early contributors including Scott Dikkers and Harvard Lampoon alumnus Robert D. Siegel. It relocated its headquarters to New York City in 1988 before moving to Chicago, Illinois in 2001. A significant expansion occurred in 2007 with the launch of its video division, Onion News Network, which produced content for Comedy Central and later FX. The organization was acquired by G/O Media in 2019, following previous ownership by Univision Communications and the E. W. Scripps Company. Notable former editors include Cole Bolton and Chad Nackers, who oversaw its transition to a primarily digital-focused entity.

Content and style

Its content is characterized by a rigid Associated Press-style format and a deliberately deadpan tone, presenting absurd or hyperbolic stories as straight news. Recurring features have included faux-editorials from the fictional editor-in-chief, T. Herman Zweibel, and advice columns from Jim Anchower. The publication frequently satirizes institutions like the White House, the United States Congress, and corporations such as Apple Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. Its headlines and article concepts are developed through collaborative workshops, a process detailed by former head writer Joe Randazzo in his book. This style has been extensively analyzed in academic works like "The Onion and American Culture" and "The Onion and Philosophy."

Reception and influence

It has received widespread critical acclaim, winning National Magazine Awards and being cited in studies by the Pew Research Center. Its satire has been mistakenly reported as factual by numerous international news outlets, including CCTV in China and The Guardian in the United Kingdom. The publication's influence is evident in its impact on later satirical news programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and it has been praised by figures such as Roger Ebert and Kurt Vonnegut. Academic conferences, including panels at the Modern Language Association convention, have examined its role in American journalism and political discourse.

Business and operations

The organization operates under the parent company G/O Media, which also manages sites like Gizmodo and The A.V. Club. Its business model has evolved from print advertising and newsstand sales to a reliance on digital advertising, native advertising, and licensed content. It maintained a network of satirical newspapers in various college towns during the 1990s and early 2000s. Key operational hubs have included offices in Los Angeles and Chicago, with content syndication through partners like The New York Times Syndicate. The company also previously operated a merchandise division and produced live events, including tours for its Onion News Network anchors.

Legal issues and controversies

The publication has faced several defamation and trademark infringement lawsuits. A notable case involved Coca-Cola, which objected to a parody advertisement. It was also sued by the Saudi Arabian government over a satirical article about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2017, it settled a lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding a satirical press release about Google. Furthermore, its parodies of political figures, including George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, have sparked debates about the limits of satire and free speech, occasionally drawing ire from groups like the Fox News Channel and the Republican National Committee. Category:Satirical newspapers Category:American news websites Category:Publications established in 1988