The rise and fall of a digital news powerhouse
In short: From breaking the Steele dossier to winning a Pulitzer, BuzzFeed News once defined the digital era. But how did a division that pioneered investigative scoops and social justice reporting eventually vanish from the news cycle, leaving its news efforts to be refocused entirely onto HuffPost?
Launched in December 2011 under editor-in-chief Ben Smith, BuzzFeed News emerged as a significant force in digital journalism. While often associated with viral content, the outlet built a formidable investigative desk, employing 20 journalists by 2016. Its work earned prestigious accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2021 for its coverage of Xinjiang internment camps, as well as the George Polk Award and the National Magazine Award. The newsroom's leadership included notable figures like Mark Schoofs, who led investigative reporting starting in 2013. The organization also expanded its reach internationally, managing a British division under Janine Gibson.
The publication was known for high-stakes reporting that frequently courted controversy. It published the unverified 35-page Steele dossier in January 2017, a move that led to multiple defamation lawsuits from figures such as Aleksej Gubarev and owners of Alfa Bank. The outlet also broke the original story of actor Anthony Rapp's sexual misconduct accusation against Kevin Spacey in 2017, which had significant industry repercussions. The outlet's reporting also exposed how Breitbart News worked with far-right groups to normalize their tactics. Additionally, its journalists uncovered how certain international investors utilized dispute settlement mechanisms to weaken environmental protections.
Despite its investigative successes, the organization faced structural and financial instability. Following a 15% staff reduction in 2019 that ended its national news desk, the company continued to pivot. In April 2023, CEO Jonah Peretti announced a gradual shutdown of the news division as part of further layoffs. By May 5, 2023, BuzzFeed News ceased adding new hard news content, refocusing its news efforts on HuffPost. This decline followed a period of intense restructuring, including a 2022 effort to cut positions for profitability. Ultimately, the company decided to redirect its remaining news energy toward HuffPost, which it had integrated into its portfolio in 2020.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: BuzzFeed News
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