Media

The Onion Acquires Infowars

Kenneth Metral

Nov 14, 2024 — 1 min read

Image Credit: Alex Jones/Sean P. Anderson

In a surprising development, the satirical news outlet The Onion has acquired Infowars, the far-right conspiracy website founded by Alex Jones, through a bankruptcy auction. This acquisition, supported by the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, aims to transform Infowars from a platform known for spreading misinformation into one focused on satire and education.

The Onion's CEO, Ben Collins, expressed the company's intention to end Infowars' "relentless barrage of disinformation for the sake of selling supplements and replace it with The Onion's relentless barrage of humor for good." The acquisition includes Infowars' website, customer lists, social media accounts, production equipment, Texas studio, trademarks, and video archive.

The Sandy Hook families, who had previously won over $1 billion in defamation judgments against Jones for his false claims about the 2012 massacre, agreed to forgo a portion of their recovery to facilitate The Onion's bid. This decision underscores their commitment to preventing further harm caused by misinformation.

The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars in January 2025, transforming it into a satirical platform. Gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety will be the exclusive launch advertiser, using the platform to promote gun violence awareness.

Alex Jones has expressed his opposition to the sale and indicated plans to challenge it legally. He also announced intentions to continue broadcasting on a different platform.

This acquisition marks a significant shift in the media landscape, highlighting the ongoing battle against misinformation and the role of satire in contemporary discourse.

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