Several staff members at Kotaku’s US-based offices have taken to Twitter after a unique situation in which it and G/O Media websites pubished a post complaining of new “atrocious ads” that was eventually removed by the organisation’s board.
The post — which also featured on G/O Media sites including Gizmodo, Deadspin and Jezebel — highlighted “atrocious” auto-play ads that were appearing as a result of a “new private equity owner management team”. The posts were quickly removed by G/O Media’s executive, but not seemingly soon enough. VICE reports that the post lead readers to send 1,300 emails asking for the auto-play ads to be removed.
The various sites’ staff reacted to the removal of the post in various ways, but perhaps most notably Deadspin Deputy Editor, Barry Petchesky, permitted non-sports posts like “Three Good Dogs I Met” and “Check Out the Wheels on This Pumpkin Thief” to appear after a memo from G/O Media Editorial Director, Paul Maidment asked him to focus on sports and not “politics, pop culture, the arts, and the rest”.
Kotaku’s Jason Schreier, Stephen Totilo, Gita Jackson and Heather Alexandra took to Twitter afterward to comment on their working situations. Around the same time, Deadspin Deputy Editor, Barry Petchesky, confirmed he was fired “for not sticking to sports.”
If the atrocious ads on our website are bothering you, here is how to contact Kotaku's new private equity owner management team :) https://t.co/OXfBpoHwOt
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) October 28, 2019
We’re re-posting the statement as a screenshot here as we gather more information. We thank you, our readers and supporters, for standing with us through this process. (2/3) pic.twitter.com/cRvMKeu2aF
— GMG Union (@gmgunion) October 29, 2019
I don't know what's going to happen next, but to everyone who has read and supported our work at Kotaku over the years, thank you ❤️
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) October 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/xoxogossipgita/status/1189243899514179585
So, uh…. I still really want to tell you all about Death Stranding later this week but uh….
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) October 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/barry/status/1189224064788979712
Earlier today, @JimSpanfeller, CEO of G/O Media, fired our colleague and longtime Deadspin Deputy Editor Barry Petchesky. This will not stand. We will have updates soon.
— GMG Union (@gmgunion) October 29, 2019
Users of the NeoGAF forum have taken the tweets to mean the individuals were fired, while others (including this site) took the tweets to mean punitative measures were taken by the G/O Media board. Kotaku’s Jason Schreier has told Stevivor that “nobody at Kotaku has been reprimanded for anything.”
Another tough day at the office. I've steered @Kotaku through some rough waters before thanks to my amazing team. Can I do it again? We'll see!
We all love the site–and the family of sites we're in–and are extremely motivated to do right by our readers and viewers.
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) October 29, 2019
Lotta trolls are acting like Kotaku's gone but we're not. As we fight for our comrades and see what the future holds, we're still gonna do our best to provide the coverage readers expect.
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) October 29, 2019
Like, I get it. I've been on the internet long enough. Some of you hate me and my work, but you don't really know me as a person and this isn't the first time folks' been like "byyyeee bitch" only for me to still be around when next sun comes up.
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) October 29, 2019
Whatever happens, happens. We stick by comrades, do the goddamn work, and sail the pirate ship as long as we got winds.
*bobby deNiro voice* that's the discipline.
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) October 29, 2019
As you might imagine my written impressions got somewhat delayed today (you can read them tomorrow on Kotaku) so I'm gonna run FFXIV's new Nier Automata raid from healer and DPS perspective right now on Twitch! https://t.co/OKhlOq76RE pic.twitter.com/Td5EsWxCdD
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) October 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/transgamerthink/status/1189321192068599809
Since we first reported on this story, Deadspin’s Tom Ley, Laura Wagner, Lauren Theisen, Kelsey McKinney, Chris Thompson and Patrick Redford have all confirmed they’ve resigned in response to the termination of Barry Petchesky.
Locally, Kotaku Australia is not owned by G/O Media but by Pedestrian Group. It is not impacted by today’s events.
We originally reported that Kotaku staff were reprimanded for their actions. This was not the case, and we apologise for the mistake.
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