Gizmodo Finds a New Home (Again!) with European Publisher Keleops

Well, folks, it seems the iconic tech news and review site Gizmodo is switching hands once again! This time, it’s the Swiss publisher Keleops scooping them up. It’s like that friend who can’t seem to stay in one place for too long, always on the move. But hey, who are we to judge? Maybe this time it’s true love…or at least a stable internet connection.

This acquisition marks the third time Gizmodo has been bought and sold in less than a decade. One starts to wonder if they’re collecting owners like some people collect vintage vinyl. Let’s dive into this whole saga, shall we?

A Timeline of Gizmodo’s Ownership Rollercoaster

Buckle up, kids, because this is where things get interesting (or messy, depending on how you look at it). Gizmodo’s ownership history reads like a soap opera script, complete with dramatic twists and turns.

• Univision Takes the Reins (2016): Remember the whole Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker Media showdown? Yeah, not exactly a shining moment in internet history. After Gawker (Gizmodo’s parent company at the time) lost that legal battle, Univision Communications swooped in and bought the remnants, including Gizmodo, for a cool $135 million.
• Great Hill Partners Enters the Chat (2019): Apparently, running a tech news site wasn’t really Univision’s cup of tea. Just three years later, they decided to offload Gizmodo (along with The Onion) to Boston-based Great Hill Partners for a significantly lower price. Ouch.
• Keleops to the Rescue? (2024): And here we are, just a hop, skip, and a jump to 2024, and Great Hill Partners is already passing the Gizmodo baton to Keleops. While the exact sale price remains a secret (for now, at least), rumor has it that it was a hefty sum – definitely more than what they paid back in 2019. Someone’s been making bank!

So, What’s the Deal With This Sale?

Well, for starters, nobody’s talking numbers. It’s all very hush-hush, like a top-secret government operation. But hey, we’re not bitter…okay, maybe a little.

What we do know is that G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfelle has been strutting around like a peacock, boasting about how this sale raked in way more dough than they got from Univision back in the day. Good for them, we guess?

The good news (we hope) is that Keleops has pledged to keep the current Gizmodo staff on board. No word yet on whether that includes the office coffee maker, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Keleops: The New Kid on the Block (Well, Sort of)

So, who is this Keleops character anyway, and what do they want with our beloved Gizmodo? Good questions! Keleops might not be a household name (yet!), but they’re a big deal in the European publishing world. Think of them as the cool, sophisticated cousin from across the pond.

Jean-Guillaume Kleis, the big cheese over at Keleops, seems pretty pumped about this whole acquisition. He’s been going on and on about Gizmodo’s “established brand” and “reputation.” Sounds like someone’s been doing their homework!

Kleis is all about that traditional business strategy, which is kind of refreshing in this age of clickbait and viral trends. He wants to tap into Gizmodo’s two-decade-long legacy of tech coverage and actually, you know, make some money. Radical, right?

Meanwhile, Back at G/O Media Ranch…

Gizmodo isn’t the only one packing their bags and heading for the exit. G/O Media has been on a bit of a selling spree lately. Remember The Onion, that satirical news site that’s funnier than real news sometimes? Yeah, they’re gone too.

They were snatched up by tech entrepreneur Jeff Lawson, the brains behind Twilio (whatever that is). We’re starting to think G/O Media is having a mid-life crisis or something. Maybe they’re going to buy a sports car next?

From iPhone Heist to Swiss Ownership: A Gizmodo Saga

Let’s be real, no Gizmodo story would be complete without mentioning that incident. You know the one – the great iPhone 4 heist of 2010. It was the scandal that rocked the tech world!

For those who missed the drama, Gizmodo got their hands on a prototype of Apple’s then-unreleased iPhone 4. And we’re not talking about some blurry photo leaked on Twitter. This was the real deal, folks!

Of course, chaos ensued. Apple cried foul, accusations of theft and extortion attempts were thrown around like confetti, and a Gizmodo editor ended up issuing a very public apology. It was messier than a spilled bowl of ramen noodles.

In the end, no charges were filed, but Gizmodo’s reputation was forever cemented in tech lore. Hey, at least they got a good story out of it, right?

What’s Next for Gizmodo?

So, Gizmodo is under new management (again). Will this be the start of a beautiful friendship or another short-lived fling? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure, though: Gizmodo knows how to keep things interesting.

Will they become a global tech powerhouse under Keleops’ guidance? Will they finally reveal the secret recipe for their infamous office coffee? Stay tuned, dear readers, stay tuned.