From a satirical supplement to an independent cultural institution: The A.V. Club story

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born in 1993 as a modest entertainment section for The Onion, The A.V. Club evolved into a definitive voice in pop-culture criticism. After decades of corporate ownership, editorial shifts, and a high-profile migration to Los Angeles, the publication now navigates a new era of independence under Paste Media.

Founded by Stephen Thompson at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, The A.V. Club began as an unpretentious companion to the satirical Onion. Its name, a nod to the high school audiovisual clubs of the late 20th century, reflected its initial focus on equipment and media. While it debuted online in 1996, it remained a secondary feature until a 2005 redesign elevated its profile, leading to a daily content model and a massive surge in readership, reaching over 1.4 million unique visitors by 2009.

The publication’s history is marked by significant internal turnover and corporate turbulence. In 2013, a wave of veteran editors and writers, including Keith Phipps and Scott Tobias, departed to launch The Dissolve. Later, the site faced challenges under G/O Media, including a controversial migration to the Kinja platform that alienated its long-standing comment community. Despite these shifts, the staff successfully unionized in 2018, securing protections for editorial independence and pay standards. However, the site’s identity remained tied to its parent companies until 2024.

In March 2024, Paste Media acquired The A.V. Club, finally severing its ties with The Onion. This transition brought a return to familiar voices and the revival of legacy projects like the A.V. Undercover web series. While the publication continues to adapt—recently scaling back its dedicated games vertical to refocus on film and television—it remains a unique fixture in digital media, recognized for its critical depth and its 2017 Eisner Award-winning comics coverage.

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