The "clash between Deadspin.com staffers and management over an edict for the website to 'stick to sports' came to a head" when its writers "did everything but that and a longtime editor was fired," according to Chad Finn of the BOSTON GLOBE. Deadspin had been "ordered by parent company G/O Media in a memo Monday to stop writing about anything that did not have direct relation to sports." The staff yesterday responded by "posting older stories atop the site that had little or nothing to do with sports." They were "thumbing their noses at the edict if not pulling an outright revolt." Just before 2:00pm ET, deputy editor Barry Petchesky, who had "written more than 20,000 posts for the site, announced on Twitter that he had been fired." Management then "removed posts on the site telling readers how to complain to management about the auto-play videos that had become prominent on Deadspin in recent days" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/30). In N.Y., Marc Tracy notes though sports has been Deadspin's "focus since its beginning, the site has also delved into political coverage" in recent years. Sources said that G/O Media Editorial Dir Paul Maidment "assumed direct control" of the site yesterday. G/O Media has been "looking for a new full-time editor in chief since its previous editor, Megan Greenwell, left in August" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/30).
TWITTER REAX: MSNBC's Steph Haberman: "Deadspin was good. The people who are trying to keep it good deserve so much more." Entertainment journalist Laura Hudson: "Nothing ruins a site like corporate dudes who don’t understand the audience and destroy its core value for 'synergy' or 'engagement' or some shit and then shut it down 8 months later." Texas Monthly's Dan Solomon: "It’s worth noting again that advertisers already liked Deadspin, Deadspin was already profitable and successful, the only reason it was even for sale in the first place are because of mostly unrepeatable circumstances and a literal conspiracy hatched by a vindictive billionaire." ESPN's Mina Kimes: "With all of the news today, I'm reminded of how @Deadspin has been home to some of the most essential pieces on why (and how) to pay college athletes." The Nation's Dave Zirin: "The middle finger that is @Deadspin's homepage is glorious."
