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I worked at The Onion a few years ago. The content teams there were some of the most dedicated and passionate professionals I’ve had the pleasure of working wit

I worked at The Onion a few years ago. The content teams there were some of the most dedicated and passionate professionals I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my career. This is an upsetting story. Despite so much upheaval in print and publishing at large, and the unfortunate circumstance that reality has become as absurd as the headlines of The Onion a decade ago, everyone there comes in every day ready to give it all they’ve got. It honestly is a remarkable staff and sometimes I really miss it there.

scottmf 8y ago
There's a great episode of This American Life from 2008 with a behind-the-scenes look at how the staff comes up with headlines: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room It sounds like an amazing place to work!
- vforgione 8y ago
  I was a developer there, not a writer, but this kind of mentality was so basic to the entire company. It reinforces a great deal of humility -- not just in your work but as a person.
sarreph 8y ago
> the unfortunate circumstance that reality has become as absurd as the headlines of The Onion a decade ago So true... Google has a slew of articles pronouncing the death of conventional political satire. It's not just politics though, as the Onion's fate is showing now. It seems also there are a myriad other forms of media — YouTube being a prime example — of how 'surreal' content seems to be becoming these days. When we have YouTubers click-baiting and essentially (but almost unwittingly) parodying themselves to chase the views, it begs the question of what the next turning of the tide of media style will be. Sorry to hear that The Onion sounds like an amazing place that's going to get shuttered :(
hackerpacker 8y ago
FWIW, I stopped reading the onion when it was bought by univision, for presumably political reasons. I mean even now the dedication and passion you describe sounds a bit like campaign headquarters to me, not a satire shop.
- hackerpacker 8y ago
  yes, downvote, that will encourage honest feedback and change my view...
  - robdachshund 8y ago
    Is this reddit?

scottmf 8y ago

There's a great episode of This American Life from 2008 with a behind-the-scenes look at how the staff comes up with headlines: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room It sounds like an amazing place to work!

vforgione 8y ago
I was a developer there, not a writer, but this kind of mentality was so basic to the entire company. It reinforces a great deal of humility -- not just in your work but as a person.

sarreph 8y ago

> the unfortunate circumstance that reality has become as absurd as the headlines of The Onion a decade ago So true... Google has a slew of articles pronouncing the death of conventional political satire. It's not just politics though, as the Onion's fate is showing now. It seems also there are a myriad other forms of media — YouTube being a prime example — of how 'surreal' content seems to be becoming these days. When we have YouTubers click-baiting and essentially (but almost unwittingly) parodying themselves to chase the views, it begs the question of what the next turning of the tide of media style will be. Sorry to hear that The Onion sounds like an amazing place that's going to get shuttered :(

hackerpacker 8y ago

FWIW, I stopped reading the onion when it was bought by univision, for presumably political reasons. I mean even now the dedication and passion you describe sounds a bit like campaign headquarters to me, not a satire shop.

hackerpacker 8y ago
yes, downvote, that will encourage honest feedback and change my view...
- robdachshund 8y ago
  Is this reddit?