Gothamist

Last updated

Gothamist
Gothamist logo.png
Type of site
News, culture
Available in English language
Owner New York Public Radio
Created by
URL gothamist.com
Launched2003;21 years ago (2003)
Current statusActive

Gothamist is a New York City centric blog website operated by New York Public Radio. From 2003 to 2018 Gothamist LLC was the operator, or in some cases franchisor, of eight city-centric websites that focused on news, events, food, culture, and other local coverage. It was founded in 2003 by Jake Dobkin and Jen Chung. In March 2017, Joe Ricketts, owner of DNAinfo , acquired the company and, in November 2017, the websites were temporarily shut down after the newsroom staff voted to unionize. In February 2018, it was announced that New York Public Radio, KPCC and WAMU had acquired Gothamist, LAist and DCist, respectively. Chicagoist was purchased by Chicago-born rapper Chance the Rapper in July 2018.

Contents

History

Early history and other blogs

The namesake blog, Gothamist, focused on New York City, was founded in 2003, by publisher Jake Dobkin and editor Jen Chung. As of June 2014 other blogs operated by the company include LAist (for Los Angeles), DCist for Washington, D.C., Chicagoist, and SFist (for San Francisco) in the United States, [1] as well as Shanghaiist internationally. [2]

Canadian blog Torontoist was launched by the American company, but was transferred to the locally-owned Ink Truck Media in April 2009, while retaining its "-ist" name and remaining affiliated with the Gothamist network. [3] In March 2011, Torontoist was acquired from Ink Truck Media by St. Joseph Media, magazine publishing division of Canadian media giant St. Joseph Communications. [4] As a result the site was not affected by the Gothamist shutdown in 2017, and remained in operation until it was acquired by Daily Hive in 2019.

In a similar fashion, in 2010 Londonist was transferred to the London-based startup LDN Creative. [5]

An estimate by income.com in 2015 quoted the monthly revenue from Gothamist at $110,000. [6]

Shutdown

In 2017, Gothamist and all related blogs were sold to Joe Ricketts, owner of DNAinfo.com. [7] [8] After the acquisition, Gothamist expunged from its archives a number of stories that had covered Ricketts critically. Regarding the removal of Ricketts related content from the site, Dobkin told Jezebel , "Just as Bloomberg doesn't cover Bloomberg, we don’t plan to cover Joe Ricketts and so we decided to take down our coverage of him. No one asked us to do it. It was a decision made solely by Jen [Chung] and me." [9]

On November 2, 2017, Ricketts posted to both DNAinfo and the "-ist" network sites that both websites would immediately cease operations, a week after Gothamist writers voted to unionize with the Writers Guild of America, East. [10] All content from all DNAinfo sites and all subsidiary sites were taken down. [11] The next day, archives of the sites were returned to functionality. [12] Ricketts's shutdown was criticized as being a mere act of retaliation after the two companies' workers had joined a union. [13] In the aftermath of the shutdown, laid-off reporters for Gothamist stated that former owners Jake Dobkin and Jen Chung actively cooperated with Ricketts to discourage the union efforts, "It was textbook union-busting stuff." [14]

Relaunch

On February 23, 2018, public radio stations WNYC, KPCC, and WAMU announced that they had jointly acquired Gothamist and its related sites LAist and DCist. [15] Under the agreement, Gothamist and its sister sites would begin publishing news content again. [16] Additionally, WNYC acquired the archives of Chicagoist and SFist, and Chicago's WBEZ stated that they were exploring an acquisition of the former. [17] WAMU relaunched DCist on June 11, 2018. [18] Gothamist confirmed that Chance the Rapper acquired Chicagoist after he announced it in a new song, "I Might Need Security", on July 18, 2018. [19]

On January 7, 2019, labor union SAG-AFTRA and WNYC announced that they had reached an agreement to recognize more than 25 digital employees of New York Public Radio, including Gothamist staff. [20]

Impress3 Media bought the San Francisco blog site, SFist, in January 2019 and relaunched it the following month with the former editor-in-chief as a consultant. [21]

Awards

The flagship Gothamist blog has received a number of awards and commendations, including six Bloggies nominations. It was named a "Forbes Favorite", [22] and a BusinessWeek "Best of the Web". [23] In 2007, Gothamist was named blog of the year by Wired magazine and given a Wired Rave Award. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNYC</span> AM and FM radio stations in New York City

WNYC is the trademark and a set of call letters shared by WNYC (AM) and WNYC-FM, a pair of nonprofit, noncommercial, public radio stations located in New York City. WNYC is owned by New York Public Radio (NYPR), a nonprofit organization that did business as "WNYC RADIO" until March 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinatown bus lines</span>

Chinatown bus lines are discount intercity bus services in the United States, often operated by Chinese Americans, primarily Fujianese. They operate with lower overhead and lower fares compared to competing services. Destinations include most major cities as well as casinos popular with Asian Americans.

<i>Alamo</i> (sculpture) Sculpture at Astor Place in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Alamo, also known as the Astor Place Cube or simply The Cube, is an outdoor sculpture by Tony Rosenthal, located on Astor Place, in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is a black cube, 8 feet (2.4 m) long on each side, mounted on a corner. The cube is made of Cor-Ten steel and weighs about 1,800 pounds (820 kg). The faces of the cube are not flat but have various indentations, protrusions, and ledges. The sculpture's name, Alamo, is designated on a small plaque on the base and was selected by the artist's wife because its scale and mass reminded her of the Alamo Mission. It was fabricated by Lippincott, Inc.

WAMU is a public news–talk station that services the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is owned by American University, and its studios are located near the campus in northwest Washington. WAMU has been the primary National Public Radio member station for Washington since 2007.

Kotaku is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Ricketts</span> American businessman (born 1941)

John Joseph Ricketts is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder, former CEO and former chairman of TD Ameritrade. He has a net worth of US$2.7 billion as of 2019 according to Forbes. He has pursued a variety of other entrepreneurial ventures including DNAinfo.com, High Plains Bison, The Lodge at Jackson Fork, and The American Film Company. Ricketts also engages in philanthropy through The Ricketts Art Foundation, Opportunity Education Foundation, The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation, and The Ricketts Conservation Foundation. He and his family have been the owners of the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team since October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeppson's Malört</span> Brand of bäsk brännvin liqueur

Jeppson's Malört is a brand of bäsk liqueur, introduced in the 1930s, and long produced by Chicago's Carl Jeppson Company. In 2018, as its last employee was retiring, the brand was sold to CH Distillery of Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Jeppson's Malört is named after Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant who first distilled and popularized the liquor in Chicago. Malört is the Swedish word for wormwood, which is the key ingredient in bäsk. Malört is extremely low in thujone, a chemical once prevalent in absinthe and similar drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Manhattan Security Initiative</span>

The Lower Manhattan Security Initiative (LMSI) is a New York City Police Department initiative overseen by the Counterterrorism Bureau to increase surveillance efforts in Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. It is housed in the Lower Manhattan Security Coordination Center (LMSCC) located at 55 Broadway. The LMSI covers a 1.7-mile area from Canal Street to Battery Park, including the New York Stock Exchange, World Financial Center, former World Trade Center site, and numerous financial institutions.

Ward Committeepeople and Township Committeepeople are political party officials who serve many standard committeemen duties on behalf of their political party in Cook County, Illinois.

From 2005 to 2009, residents of New York City sporadically detected a mysterious sweet smell likened to maple syrup in the air, which was subsequently reported on by local blogs as well as The New York Times. The source was eventually found to be a Frutarom Industries Ltd. factory in neighboring New Jersey, which was processing fenugreek seeds, commonly used in maple syrup substitutes. The incidents were alluded to in a 2007 episode of the television show 30 Rock titled "Somebody to Love".

Citi Bike is a privately owned public bicycle sharing system serving the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, as well as Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey. Named after lead sponsor Citigroup, it was operated by Motivate, with former Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Jay Walder as chief executive until September 30, 2018, when the company was acquired by Lyft. The system's bikes and stations use technology from Lyft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Grosso</span> American politician (born 1970)

David Grosso is an American attorney and politician. He is a former at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia who lives in Brookland. A native Washingtonian, he graduated from Earlham College and Georgetown University Law Center. Grosso is a member of the D.C. Bar. Following the completion of his second term on the D.C. Council, he joined the law firm Arent Fox as a lobbyist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushwick Inlet Park</span> Public park in Brooklyn, New York

Bushwick Inlet Park is a public park in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The park currently consists of two non-contiguous sections along the East River and is eventually planned to reach into Greenpoint at Quay Street. The park is named for the nearby Bushwick Inlet, which it is planned to encompass upon completion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Park</span> Public park in Manhattan, New York

Liberty Park is a one-acre (0.40 ha) elevated public park at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City, overlooking the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. The park, which opened on June 29, 2016, is located above the World Trade Center's Vehicular Security Center. The St. Nicholas National Shrine is located within the park, as well as Fritz Koenig's The Sphere, the iconic sculpture salvaged from the World Trade Center site. Another statue, America's Response Monument, is also located in the park.

DNAinfo was an online newspaper that focused on neighborhood news in New York City and Chicago. It was closed down by CEO and owner Joe Ricketts in November 2017 after writers in its New York branch voted to unionize, a move to which Ricketts was opposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open House Chicago</span>

Open House Chicago (OHC) is a free weekend festival held annually in Chicago that allows participants to visit dozens of buildings that are not typically open to the public. The next festival will be held on 16–17 October 2021 because 2020 was scrapped caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

<i>Daily Hive</i> Online Canadian newspaper

Daily Hive, formerly known as Vancity Buzz, is a Canadian online newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It began digital publishing in 2008 and became Western Canada's largest online-only publication by 2016.

Lincoln Yards is a mixed-use development project located on the North Side of Chicago between the Lincoln Park and Bucktown neighborhoods. It consists of several towers and high-rises that will include apartments, condos, office, retail, and entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Park mandarin duck</span> Celebrity duck in New York Citys Central Park

The Central Park mandarin duck, also known as Mandarin Patinkin or the Hot Duck, is a male mandarin duck seen at the Pond in New York City's Central Park starting in late 2018. His colorful appearance, which contrasted with native waterfowl, combined with his presence far outside of the species' native range of East Asia, led to media attention from late 2018 through 2019. Though he has a band around its leg, his origin is undetermined. His last sighting was in March 2019. In 2021, entertainer Bette Midler published a children's book about him. In 2023, filmmaker Kevin Schreck released a short documentary about the bird, The Duck of New York. The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Coney Island Film Festival.

Jacob "Jake" Dobkin is an American journalist, blogger, author, and co-founder of Gothamist. He is currently a director of New York Public Radio.

References

  1. ↑ "Media Kit". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Shanghaiist". Shanghaiist. Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ Topping, David (April 8, 2009). "Torontoist Is Here To Stay". Torontoist. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  4. ↑ Morrow, Adrian (March 14, 2011). "Torontoist bought by magazine company". The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Londonist And @LDN Join Forces". Londonist. June 11, 2010. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  6. ↑ Hamilton, Brock (October 27, 2015). "25 Top Money Earning Bloggers". Income.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  7. ↑ Pompeo, Joe (March 8, 2017). "Joe Ricketts, local news publisher and Trump backer, acquires Gothamist websites". Politico . Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  8. ↑ Bonazzo, John (March 8, 2017). "Joe Ricketts' DNAinfo Buys Gothamist, Creating Local News Juggernaut". Observer . Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  9. ↑ O'Connor, Brendan (March 8, 2017). "Gothamist Deleted Negative Coverage of Its New Owner". Jezebel. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  10. ↑ Feder, Robert (November 2, 2017). "Ricketts shuts down DNAinfo". Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  11. ↑ Newman, Andy; Leland, John (November 2, 2017). "DNAinfo and Gothamist Are Shutting Down". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  12. ↑ Yanofsky, David (November 3, 2017). "DNAInfo's and Gothamist's archives still exist and are likely to be resurrected". Quartz. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  13. ↑ Nolan, Hamilton (November 3, 2017). "Opinion | A Billionaire Destroyed His Newsrooms Out of Spite". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  14. ↑ Heyward, Anna (November 14, 2017). "The Story Behind the Unjust Shutdown of Gothamist and DNAinfo". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  15. ↑ "WNYC, KPCC, and WAMU Acquire Gothamist Assets" (Press release). WNYC. February 23, 2018. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  16. ↑ Newman, Andy (February 23, 2018). "Gothamist Will Publish Again in Deal With WNYC". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  17. ↑ Falk, Tyler (February 23, 2018). "Three public radio stations acquire Gothamist sites". Current. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ Schweitzer, Ally (June 11, 2018). "DCist Is Officially Back — And Ready To Breathe New Life Into Local News". WAMU. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  19. ↑ Carlson, Jen (July 19, 2018). "Chance The Rapper Bought Chicagoist And Announced It In Newly Released Song". Gothamist. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  20. ↑ "SAG-AFTRA and New York Public Radio Reach Voluntary Recognition Agreement Covering New Employees" (Press release). WNYC. January 7, 2019. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  21. ↑ Pereira, Alyssa (February 19, 2019). "SFist relaunches under new owners, brings back two former writers". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  22. ↑ "City Blogs". Forbes . Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
  23. ↑ Pisani, Joseph. "Special Report: Best of the Web: Your Favorite Bloggers". BusinessWeek . Archived from the original on October 4, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2008. See slide number 4 of 13
  24. ↑ Zjawinski, Sonia (April 2007). "The 2007 Rave Awards". Wired . Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.