Ben Collins' Ambitious Revival of The Onion: A Journey Through Satire, Business, and Journalism
The Bold Relaunch of The Onion's Print Edition
A year ago, Ben Collins, freshly appointed as the CEO of The Onion, made a daring bet. Just months into his tenure, he decided to relaunch the print edition of the satirical newspaper. Once a staple on university campuses, The Onion had ceased publishing physical issues since 2013. Despite the common perception that print newspapers had lost their readership and advertising appeal, Collins, a lifelong fan of the paper, was undeterred. He thought the idea that print was dead for The Onion was "dumb."
The relaunch was met with enthusiasm from readers, who relished the opportunity to peruse all of its sharply humorous headlines on a single broadsheet. One early headline from the revived edition, "I Was Honored to Die So the Print Edition of ‘The Onion’ Could Live," penned by "A. Tree," exemplified the paper's signature wit.
Collins declined to disclose the exact number of current print subscribers but indicated that the numbers were sufficient to keep the writers' room bustling. A few weeks after the podcast episode was taped, the Wall Street Journal reported that The Onion had amassed over 53,000 paying subscribers.
An Interview with Ben Collins
On this episode of Uncanny Valley, Katie Drummond engaged in a wide - ranging conversation with Collins, covering topics from his hopes for The Onion and the future of journalism to his unexpected addiction to the game Balatro. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Favorite Headlines and a Quick - Fire Round
Favorite Headline: Drummond asked Collins about his recent favorite Onion headline. Collins mentioned the Ghislaine Maxwell blood - splatter one, specifically, "Ghislaine Maxwell Can’t Help but Notice Interview Room Covered in Plastic Sheeting." He marveled at the staff's productivity, churning out around 15 great headlines a day.
Quick - Fire Questions:
What the Algorithm Knows: When asked what the algorithm knows about him, Collins responded that it knows way too much, including a lot of incorrect information. He jokingly wished his net worth was what the algorithm claimed.
Desired Tech: Collins expressed a desire for a tech device similar to the clamshell - like e - reader from the movie It Follows. He also mentioned wanting a shark that eats the internet cables, as proposed by disinformation reporter Jane Lytvynenko.
Ashamed - to - Love App: Collins admitted to being addicted to Balatro, a game he described as "poker with incentives" that won Indie Game of the Year. He recounted an incident where he got so engrossed in the game that he ignored his shower and incoming texts for hours.
Hate Follow: Collins used to hate - follow Nick Adams but has since tried to avoid such behavior as it made him sad. Adams is now the nominee to be US ambassador to Malaysia.
The Onion's Transformation Under Collins' Leadership
Job Rating and Challenges: Collins rated the staff of The Onion a 10 but gave himself a 4. He attributed the success to the staff, highlighting his role in bringing back the print edition and setting seemingly impossible deadlines. He also had to address the issue of the website being inundated with gross dick - pill ads, which accounted for about 70% of the revenue. Despite the financial risk, The Onion turned off these ads to focus on its core comedic content.
Logistical Hurdles of Restarting Print: Restarting a newspaper in 2024 presented numerous logistical challenges. The Onion's team, being naive, built the necessary infrastructure themselves. They were fortunate to find Topweb near O'Hare airport, which had recently acquired a large - scale newspaper - making machine at a discount. They also had to develop a new website, as the old one used a CMS from the Gawker network.
Overarching Strategy: Collins described The Onion's strategy as capitalizing on its unique position of not capitulating to powerful interests. In an era where many media outlets seem to toe the line, The Onion aims to provide truth - telling and catharsis through satire. Since the election, they've seen a groundswell of support for their unwavering stance.
The Infowars Episode and Disinformation
The Infowars Bid: Infowars was up for auction after Alex Jones was sued by two sets of families for defaming them regarding the Sandy Hook school shooting. The Onion decided to place a bid. Although they won, the judge ultimately took the sale away due to fear of the implications. The Onion is still interested in acquiring Infowars' supplements and has a plan in place if they succeed.
Disinformation and The Onion's Role: Collins, having covered disinformation as a reporter, witnessed the degradation of the internet. He saw The Onion as a safeguard, a place that could maintain its integrity in the face of the spread of misinformation. He was eager to save The Onion from potentially falling into the wrong hands, which he feared could lead to the use of AI for headlines and the firing of the staff.
Collins' Departure from NBC and The Onion's Ownership
Leaving NBC: Collins had a falling - out with NBC. He was suspended for being too critical of Elon Musk, and he saw a pattern of capitulation within the network. He won the Walter Cronkite award but knew that his speech about not capitulating would mark the end of his television career at NBC.
Jeff Lawson as an Owner: Jeff Lawson, the co - founder of Twilio, is an owner of The Onion. While he has extensive C - suite experience, he does not interfere in the editorial direction. Collins contrasted Lawson's approach with that of other wealthy media barons, highlighting Lawson's hands - off editorial stance.
The Onion's Business Goals and Future Outlook
Business Aspirations: The Onion aims to build a profitable business that they enjoy and can expand upon. They've archived their 35 - year - old content and plan to make the office nicer. The print edition has been a success, with subscribers in over 50 countries and all 50 US states. They're also on the verge of returning to newsstands.
Future Plans: In the coming months and years, The Onion plans to expand the print edition, getting "fatter" and delving more into sports and entertainment. Collins hopes to create more space and freedom for other independent media to thrive, especially in the print medium.
A Quick Game: Control, Alt, Delete
Control: Collins would love to control Infowars, pending the outcome of their acquisition efforts.
Alter: He wants physical keyboards to make a comeback on phones, cars, and everywhere, longing for the "clickety - clackety" experience.
Delete: He would vanquish all AI - generated written content, expressing his disdain for its uniformity and inaccuracy.
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