Kinja reply list

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ArnheimNick Denton
6/15/16 1:50pm
Gawker and its associated properties don’t deserve to go down like this—particularly not over the Hogan case.

The Geithner article is another matter entirely—which I see you’ve conveniently neglected to mention. I suppose no suit filed = no reason to bring it up in the context of journalists being hacked to death in Bangladesh (holy invalid analogy, Batman).

I believe in Gawker and what it does—and many (not all, but many) of the writers here are among some of my favorite voices in journalism—but for Christ’s sake, could someone please face what actually landed you in this situation, and stop trying to compare your situation to folks that are being killed over reportage?
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  MarksMakerArnheim
  6/15/16 1:53pm
  Yeah, that implied comparison to the Bangladeshi journalists was a real reach, and utterly distasteful.
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  dannibalcorpseArnheim
  6/15/16 1:56pm
  Look, it’s not like Gawker is the only website who’s ever outed a not-very-public figure. At least they didn’t cause Geithner to commit suicide.
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Jerry-NetherlandNick Denton
6/15/16 1:56pm
“Your participation is what makes Gawker’s sites communities as much as digital media brands.”

Thank you for acknowledging this. What makes Gawker truly unique is its commentariat.
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  Nick DentonJerry-Netherland
  6/15/16 3:20pm
  Yes, comments have gotten a bad name. But that’s to do with the fact they’re an afterthought on most news sites. For us they have been an integral part of the experience. The heckling is not always popular with writers, but the responses keep it real. Thank you for that.
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  Jerry-NetherlandNick Denton
  6/15/16 3:26pm
  While the Kinja system gets its share of derision, it actually affords those of us who are core commenters the ability to manage the threads, which generally works out pretty well. Thus, Gawker has an infintely better comment section than most sites - one which often provides great further reading links (as well as side trips to silly-land).
  
  I wish you the best as you move forward (and I expect you’ll be just fine).
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handmadeproteinshakeNick Denton
6/15/16 1:43pm
It was a good story until you started blaming billionaires for your current situation without taking any responsibility for messing up. I’d be more sympathetic if Gawker said, “you know what, we fucked up the Terry Hogan ordeal but we learned from it and are focussing on being a better outlet.”
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  badwolf302handmadeproteinshake
  6/15/16 1:56pm
  Did you not read the GD article? FFS it deals specifically with this topic.
  
  “Judges in federal court and the Florida appeals court have repeatedly determined the Hogan story was newsworthy because it joined a conversation about his sex life that the wrestling star had already begun.“
  
  RTFA for crying out loud. It even has links to the decisions.
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  Misterhandmadeproteinshake
  6/15/16 2:15pm
  They admit wrongdoing and they have no basis for a legal defense. Never admit guilt during litigation!
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Masshole JamesNick Denton
6/15/16 1:51pm
Just don’t fire Ashley Feinberg during whatever restructuring takes place. Hell, if you’d put her in charge long ago, none of this would have happened.

*I am not now nor have I ever been related to Ashley. Just a fan.
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  joeyt045Masshole James
  6/15/16 1:57pm
  Is it just me or does gawker find some clever women?
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  Jerry-NetherlandMasshole James
  6/15/16 2:04pm
  I’m convinced she saved this whole place last August, when, on the heels of the Geithner fiasco, she released her exhaustive Josh Duggar/Ashley Madison investigation - and did it with the right balance of meticulous research and snark at his hypocrisy.
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bourbon.p.millerNick Denton
6/15/16 3:06pm
As someone who has, in her 28 years, already dealt with my company being sold twice (once the sale was called off, the second my position was relocated and I left), I want to say hang in there. There will be days when you dread going into work; they might say they want to keep best practices and then change their minds, they might boot out your friends for the shareholders or synergies, they might inhibit your creative process and that niche you have in your style. It’ll get better. Do what you have to do, it’s just business, and you have to look out for yourself. Y’all kept me entertained through college and law school and my first real job, even when they tried to ban Gawker and I couldn’t load any of the images. I’ve shared things here I wouldn’t dare tell my friends, even though I’m sure some of you commenters are, indeed, my friends. So, thank you for giving me a place to laugh almost all of the time.
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  Nick Dentonbourbon.p.miller
  6/15/16 3:18pm
  “I’ve shared things here I wouldn’t dare tell my friends, even though I’m sure some of you commenters are, indeed, my friends.” That makes me really proud.
  
  Free expression is painful, when that expression is critical. But the exchanges, among readers, between readers and writers, are an essential part of the Gawker experience. It sets the tone of the articles themselves.
  
  Keep sharing!
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  NIck Denton's Other Hobourbon.p.miller
  6/15/16 3:47pm
  So it was sold once?
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Sean BrodyNick Denton
6/15/16 1:48pm
Meanwhile, Gawker alumni are employed at almost every smart news organization, including New York Magazine, the New Yorker, New York Times, Vox, Wired and Business Insider. (Here is New Yorker staff writer Adrian Chen recalling Gawker as “a great place to become a journalist.”) Two of the three new David Carr Fellows at the Times got their starts at Gawker.

There’s also someone working over at GQ that claims to have worked at Gawker.

Caity Weaver?

I never heard of her though.
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  Justice Rains From My ButtSean Brody
  6/15/16 1:51pm
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  EatTheCheeseNicholsonSean Brody
  6/15/16 1:54pm
  Caity Weaver made me like Justin Bieber. She’s that good.
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BrtStlndNick Denton
6/15/16 1:52pm
“the founders and employees own the bulk of the equity in the company”

Isn’t all equity typically wiped out in a Chapter 11 filing?
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  DumpsterbabyBrtStlnd
  6/15/16 2:04pm
  Not necessarily. Depends on the nature of the debt. In this case, bankruptcy is going to simply stop the enforcement of the Hogan judgment until it is overturned on appeal. Once it is, the largest debt is gone, and the company retains all its value.
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  ErzhikDumpsterbaby
  6/15/16 2:55pm
  They already lost twice. I don’t see them winning on appeal. Maybe not $140mil, but they will owe enough to put them out of business.
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benjaminalloverNick Denton
6/15/16 1:55pm
If there is a threat, it is in the extent to which that law is increasingly a battleground of moneyed interests... Some would support a revival of champerty, the old English prohibition on aristocrats backing and influencing third-party lawsuits. At the very least, there should be public disclosure over who is funding cases in public courts that use public resources.

This is an interesting question. Money is free speech now, but doesn’t the court and the public need to know who is “speaking” in order to assess the merit of a lawsuit?
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  Bolivia Newton Johnbenjaminallover
  6/15/16 1:59pm
  Only as much as they need to know who is “speaking” on behalf of a congressional campaign.
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  benjaminalloverBolivia Newton John
  6/15/16 2:03pm
  Full public disclosure should be required for both types of patronage/corruption, whichever you want to call it.
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20 Shades of Grey including PorpoiseNick Denton
6/15/16 1:40pm
While I agree with much of what you said.. I have to wonder. Not the SLIGHTEST bit of self-awareness that MAYBE you shouldnt be publishing stories about sex tapes? Maybe THATS why you are in trouble?

I dunno...
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  WhatWhatIsThisShitRightHere20 Shades of Grey including Porpoise
  6/15/16 1:43pm
  Its what happens when you bring a pen to a penis fight.
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  MonCOguy20 Shades of Grey including Porpoise
  6/15/16 1:45pm
  No kidding. Complete lack of ANY sort of responsibility on their end. “Free press” is the ideal, but there is a level of responsibility for ALL parties. Publish shit, get shit in return.
  
  Grow up, Gawker. You are far from “journalists”, in the view of most.
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LongSnakeNick Denton
6/15/16 1:50pm
A question: why did Gawker cite the hiring of Ms. Weaver as a feather in their cap but also told her that the company wouldn’t promote her?

I am not trying to be offensive when I say that as a long time reader I believe the quality of writing on this site has taken a sharp dive from insightful, interesting and clever to low brow and snark for snarks sake. Personal opinion, I guess, I still come here everyday for the comments!
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  SlickWillieLongSnake
  6/15/16 1:54pm
  Sometimes people are so good at their jobs, promoting them to a new job would hurt the company, a situation I’m depserately trying to avoid with my own employer
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  LongSnakeSlickWillie
  6/15/16 1:56pm
  Then you offer them more money! At best it seems kind of silly to punish someone for being good at their at worst it seems malicious.
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