Business2 sources106 comments in the community
Goodbye from Salon
Hacker News: Front Page · By mkeeter ·
The Brief
- Salon announced in an unsigned post on 2026-11-05 that it is ceasing publication.
- The company cited "business realities" as the reason, according to The Verge.
- Salon launched 31 years ago as one of the first online-only news magazine outlets.
Why it matters
Salon's closure is another loss of an independent, ad-supported online publication, which is a reminder of how fragile that business model is for developers who rely on or write for such outlets.
Who’s affected
- Readers of salon.com
- Salon staff and contributors
- #media
- #journalism
- #shutdown
- #independent-news
- #online-publishing
What developers are saying
Based on 106 comments · Mixed reactions
Commenters on Hacker News are largely nostalgic about Salon's early years, recalling its writers, design and culture coverage. Many say the outlet declined over time, with a shift toward politics and opinion, paywalls and ads, and a farewell post that gave no details. Some see the closure as part of a wider decline in journalism, while others say it was long overdue.
- Nostalgia for early Salon35%
- Decline in quality or shift to politics25%
- Paywalls and ads15%
- Broader decline of journalism15%
- Skepticism about the farewell post10%
In favour
- + Early writing and culture coverage were highly valued
- + Its clean, readable design was praised even years later
Concerns
- − The shift toward politics and opinion frustrated longtime readers
- − Paywalls and ads made the site less appealing
- − The farewell post gave no details and was signed by nobody
“I'm honestly shocked by this. It's been a mainstay for so long.”
“Independent journalism shutting down is really tragic. One of the OG internet publications.”
“Pretty plain farewell letter, empty of any details and signed by nobody.”
Timeline
Salon announces in an unsigned post that it is ceasing publication
Hacker News: Front Page
Goodbye from Salon
Hacker News
313 points · 106 comments
Tech | The Verge
Salon is shutting down after 31 years
Full coverage · 2 sources
- 14h ago ↗
Tech | The Verge
Salon is shutting down after 31 years - 16h ago ↗
Hacker News: Front Page
Goodbye from Salon