Gizmodo

''Gizmodo'' () is a design, technology, science, and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the sub-blogs ''io9'' and ''Earther'', which focus on pop-culture and environmentalism, respectively.

Following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Liquidation of Gawker Media, Univision purchased ''Gizmodo'' along with other Gawker websites in August 2016. In 2019, Univision sold the Gizmodo Media Group, which included ''Gizmodo'', to the private equity firm Great Hill Partners. From April 2019 to June 2024, ''Gizmodo'' was part of G/O Media. In June 2024, the website was purchased by Swiss digital media company Keleops Media.

History

Origins and Gawker Media

The blog, launched in 2002, was originally edited by Peter Rojas, who was later recruited by Weblogs, Inc. to launch its similar technology blog, ''Engadget''. By mid-2004, ''Gizmodo'' and '' Gawker'' together were bringing in revenue of approximately $6,500 per month. In 2005, VNU Media and Gawker Media formed an alliance to republish ''Gizmodo'' across Europe, with VNU translating the content into French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, and adding European-interest material.

In 2011, ''Gizmodo'' underwent a major redesign. In 2013, Matt Novak moved his Paleofuture blog to ''Gizmodo'' from '' Smithsonian''.

In 2015, the Gawker blog ''io9'' was merged into ''Gizmodo''. The staff of ''io9'' continued with ''Gizmodo'', posting articles on subjects covered by the website, including science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and astronomy.

Univision and G/O Media

''Gizmodo'' was one of six websites purchased by Univision Communications in its acquisition of Gawker Media in 2016. Univision in turn sold ''Gizmodo'' and an array of sister websites to private equity firm Great Hill Partners in 2019; it combined the various former Gawker publications under the name G/O Media. In 2021, David M. Ewalt became the editor-in-chief (EIC) of ''Gizmodo'' with Andrew Couts promoted to executive editor; Ewalt left in 2023 for '' The Messenger''. In January 2024, Rory Carroll was promoted from EIC of ''Jalopnik'' to group editor of both ''Jalopnik'' and ''Gizmodo''. In March 2024, Rose Pastore was promoted from ''Gizmodos deputy editor to its executive editor.

G/O Media's leadership, introduced after the purchase from Univision, was frequently criticized by employees. Complaints included closer advertiser relationships, lack of diversity, and suppression of reporting about the company itself. The company also saw multiple disputes with the employee union GMG Union. On June 29, 2023, G/O Media implemented a "modest test" of artificial intelligence-generated content on its websites, such as ''io9''. The move sparked backlash from GMG Union members, citing AI's track record of false statements and plagiarism from its training data; basic errors in the generated content also attracted attention.

Keleops Media

In June 2024, ''Gizmodo'' was purchased by the Swiss digital media company Keleops Media. It was the company's "first U.S. acquisition"; Keleops "owns several French-language technology titles, including legacy brands 01net and Presse-citron". Mark Stenberg of '' Adweek'' wrote that "financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The entire Gizmodo staff will receive offer letters to stay with the company, and Keleops plans to expand the team in the near future". Stenberg reported that, per Keleops CEO Jean-Guillaume Kleis, "the company has no immediate plans to change ''Gizmodo'', either from a commercial or editorial perspective" and will instead "work with ''Gizmodo'' editor-in-chief Rory Carroll to discuss its forward-looking editorial plan and identify growth areas to support with investment". Claudia Cohen of ''Le Figaro'' wrote that "it is rare for a European media group to get its hands on an American player, who is also specialized in the field of tech". Kleis told the French newspaper that they "paid the price to enter the American market through a good door".

Associated outlets

International

''Gizmodo'' launched associated outlets in various international markets:
*In 2006, ''Gizmodo Japan'' was launched by Mediagene.

*In 2007, ''Gizmodo Australia'' was launched in the US, by Allure Media under license from Gawker Media. This site incorporates additional Australian content, and is branded ''Gizmodo AU''. In 2018, Australian media company Nine Entertainment merged the business behind PEDESTRIAN.TV with that of Allure Media and formed the larger Pedestrian Group; the website and associated company changed its name to Pedestrian, and also incorporated the brands ''Gizmodo AU'', '' Business Insider Australia'', ''Kotaku Australia'' and POPSUGAR Australia. It was announced in July 2024 that ''Gizmodo AU'' would shut down amid a restructuring at Pedestrian.

*In November 2007, HUB Uitgevers took over the Dutch magazine license from VNU Media.

*In September 2008, ''Gizmodo Brazil'' was launched with Portuguese content.

*In September 2011, ''Gizmodo UK'' was launched with Future, to cover British news. ''Gizmodo UK'' was later shut down in September 2020, with all web links redirecting to Gizmodo.com.

Sub-blogs

''Gizmodo'' contains two sub-blogs as part of the wider site:

''io9''

''io9'' is a science fiction and fantasy pop-culture focused sub-blog which was launched as a standalone blog in 2008 by then editor Annalee Newitz under Gawker Media, before being folded under ''Gizmodo'' in 2015 as part of a reorganization under parent company Gawker. In 2021, James Whitbrook replaced Jill Pantozzi as the site's deputy editor''.''

''Earther''

''Earther'' is an environmental news sub-blog which was launched in September 2017. Earther launched with the mission to chronicle three main topics: "The future of Earth," "The future of humans on Earth," and "The future of life on Earth." Founding managing editor Maddie Stone said that the site was created because it "felt like a salient and important time to create a destination for environmental news where folks can go to read up on the latest studies, but also hear the latest news about how natural disasters are affecting people, the big important environmental policies being raised around the world, and some of the biggest conservation stories."

During its lifetime, former Earther journalists Yessenia Funues, Brian Kahn, and Molly Taft won SEAL Awards for their environmental reporting.

As of broader G/O Media layoffs in November 2023 the last member of the sub-blog, Angely Mercado, was laid off which meant that there were then no staff listed as working for the sub-blog.

Controversy

TV-B-Gone

Richard Blakeley, a videographer for ''Gizmodo''s publisher, Gawker Media, disrupted several presentations held at CES in 2008. Blakely secretly turned off TVs using TV-B-Gone remote controls, resulting in his being barred from CES 2008, and any future CES events.

iPhone 4 prototype

In April 2010, ''Gizmodo'' came into possession of what was later known to be a prototype of the iPhone 4 smartphone by Apple. The site purchased the device for US$5,000 from Brian J. Hogan, who had found it unattended at a bar in Redwood City, California, a month earlier. UC Berkeley student Sage Robert, an acquaintance of Hogan, allegedly helped him sell the phone after failing to track down the owner. With Apple confirming its provenance, bloggers such as John Gruber and Ken Sweet speculated that this transaction may have violated the California Penal Code.

On April 26, after ''Gizmodo'' returned the iPhone to Apple, upon Apple's request California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team executed a search warrant on editor Jason Chen's home and seized computers, hard drives, servers, cameras, notes, and a file of business cards, under direction from San Mateo County’s Chief Deputy District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. Since then, ''Gizmodo'' and the prosecution have agreed that a special master will review the contents of the items seized and determine if they contain relevant information. ''Gizmodo'' was since barred from Apple-hosted events and product launches until August 2014, when they were invited once again to Apple's September 2014 "Wish we could say more" event.

Bobby Kotick

In March 2025, former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sued G/O Media for defamation, claiming articles in Kotaku and Gizmodo which noted his interest in acquiring TikTok repeated claims of widespread workplace misconduct on his watch at Activision without noting that the claims were investigated and dismissed by state regulators. Kotick said he and his representatives repeatedly asked for corrections to the articles.

See also

* ''Lifehacker''
* ''Techcrunch''
* ''Wired''

References

External links

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{{Future plc

American science websites
Gawker Media
Internet properties established in 2002
2002 establishments in the United States
Former Univision Communications subsidiaries