I think it's pretty disingenuous to compare The Onion to the Chive and the Oatmeal, with which it has almost nothing in common, and say they're "going out with

I think it's pretty disingenuous to compare The Onion to the Chive and the Oatmeal, with which it has almost nothing in common, and say they're "going out with a whimper." 20 years ago, newspapers were how people got their news, so the Onion imitated it. Now, people get their news via the web and cable news channels, both of which they are also imitating. They've shifted their priorities away from your preferences — that's not the same as surrendering.