Salon Announces It Will Shut Down After 31 Years Online
Salon, one of the earliest online-only news magazines, announced Thursday it will stop publishing after 31 years. An unsigned farewell post said its publishing model was no longer sustainable.
- 1995: Salon launched Nov. 20 in San Francisco, led by David Talbot.
- 2023: Find.co, which describes itself as a crypto marketing firm, bought Salon.
- Alumni include Jake Tapper, Glenn Greenwald and Rebecca Traister.
- Some employees reported losing their jobs after the announcement.
Why it matters: Salon helped define early online journalism, and its exit follows years of newsroom downsizing. The closure comes amid industry-wide cuts tied to tech shifts and a volatile ad market.
- Salon did not explain its decision beyond changed business realities.
- Many sites face falling search traffic and pressure from AI tools.
How 31 sources split on this story
Where they split: Outlets agree on the facts but differ on emphasis: Salon's legacy and influence versus its political orientation and decline.
Left coverage, 14 sources: The left frames the closure as the end of a pioneering internet publication and a loss for independent digital journalism.
Right coverage, 12 sources: The right frames Salon as a left-leaning site that closed after years of downsizing in a tough media market.
What’s next: Chief content officer Erin Keane said on Bluesky the archive will stay live for now.
- Salon has not said what will happen to its staff.
- Will Find.co preserve Salon's archive permanently?
- What specific financial pressures drove the closure?
