Fusion Media Group

Fusion Media Group (FMG) is an English-language, multi-platform media division created by Univision Communications in 2016. It developed out of Fusion Media Network, a joint venture established by Univision and Disney-ABC, and was formed after Univision acquired Disney's interest in the venture. The division was intended to complement Univision's Spanish-language focus on Hispanic America by reaching younger audiences through English-language television, digital publishing, cultural journalism, entertainment, and other online media. FMG's portfolio was assembled through a series of acquisitions and internal launches. Univision had acquired The Root, an online publication focused on African-American culture, in 2015, and subsequently placed it within FMG. In January 2016, Univision acquired The Onion and related properties, adding a prominent humor and satire portfolio. Univision Story House was introduced in May 2016 as a content-development and production unit; although it belonged to Univision, it was managed by FMG. In August 2016, FMG acquired most of the online properties of Gawker Media, excluding Gawker.com, and reorganized them under the Gizmodo Media Group name. The resulting portfolio included technology, automotive, gaming, lifestyle, politics, culture, food, and general-interest publications. The group operated across both online and television properties. Its digital portfolio included brands such as Gizmodo, Deadspin, Jezebel, Lifehacker, Jalopnik, Kotaku, io9, Splinter News, The Root, Earther, The Inventory, The Takeout, The Onion, ClickHole, and The A.V. Club at various points in its history. Other FMG-associated assets included the Fusion television service, Uforia, The Flama, TrackRecord.net, and Univision Story House. The portfolio changed over time as properties were shut down, divested, sold, or transferred to other corporate owners. FMG's strategy emphasized a broad collection of editorial and entertainment brands rather than a single mass-market channel. In May 2016, the combined digital properties were reported to reach approximately 65.6 million people. This scale gave Univision a way to participate in English-language digital media while retaining its principal Spanish-language identity. Univision announced plans in 2018 to sell Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion. In April 2019, the two businesses were sold to Great Hill Partners and combined to form G/O Media, Inc. This transaction removed a substantial part of FMG's digital publishing portfolio. Some brands associated with the former Gizmodo and Onion businesses were subsequently divested or otherwise changed ownership. Investing.com, another property listed among FMG's former assets, was acquired by Joffre Media in 2021. FMG therefore became a substantially narrower and more fluid media division, with remaining or later-associated assets including Uforia and other Univision initiatives.

Fusion Media Group emerged from Fusion Media Network, a joint venture between Univision and Disney-ABC. The venture combined Univision's connection to Hispanic-American audiences with Disney-ABC's broader media resources and created an English-language platform aimed at younger viewers and readers. In April 2016, Univision bought Disney's stake and launched FMG as its own multi-platform English-language division. The group expanded through both acquisitions and internal development. Univision acquired The Root in 2015 and later placed the African-American culture publication within FMG. In January 2016, it acquired The Onion and related properties. In May 2016, Univision introduced Univision Story House as a content-development and production operation managed by FMG. The group also assembled a substantial digital publishing business in August 2016, when it acquired the online properties of Gawker Media other than Gawker.com. Those properties were reorganized as Gizmodo Media Group. At its broadest, FMG connected television, digital publishing, culture, entertainment, humor, technology, automotive, gaming, food, and lifestyle brands. The portfolio included the Fusion television service, The Root, Gizmodo, Deadspin, Jezebel, Lifehacker, Jalopnik, Kotaku, io9, Splinter News, Earther, The Inventory, The Takeout, The Onion, ClickHole, The A.V. Club, Uforia, The Flama, TrackRecord.net, and Univision Story House at different times. In May 2016, its combined digital properties were reported to reach about 65.6 million people. The portfolio subsequently contracted. In July 2018, reports indicated that Univision intended to sell Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion. The transaction closed on April 8, 2019, when Great Hill Partners acquired the two businesses and combined them as G/O Media, Inc. The former FMG assets later underwent additional ownership and portfolio changes. ClickHole was sold by G/O Media to Cards Against Humanity and later became employee-owned, while several other publications were divested. Investing.com, another former FMG asset, was acquired by Joffre Media in 2021. These transactions illustrate FMG's evolution from a broad portfolio-building initiative into a more selectively held Univision media operation.

• 2021

  Investing.com changes ownership

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Investing.com, identified as a former FMG asset, was acquired by Joffre Media.

• 2019

  Major digital assets sold

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Great Hill Partners completed its acquisition of Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion, combining them into G/O Media.

• 2016

  Univision acquires The Onion and related properties

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The Onion and sibling properties joined Univision's expanding English-language media portfolio.

• 2016

  Fusion Media Group launches

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Univision launched FMG after acquiring Disney-ABC's stake in Fusion Media Network.

• 2016

  Univision Story House introduced

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Univision introduced Story House as a content-development and production unit managed by FMG.

• 2016

  Gizmodo Media Group formed

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  FMG acquired most Gawker Media online properties and renamed the resulting operation Gizmodo Media Group.

• 2015

  Univision acquires The Root

  [1]Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Univision acquired The Root, an online publication centered on African-American culture, and later incorporated it into Fusion Media Group.

A Univision media division designed to reach younger audiences in English through a diversified portfolio of digital publishing, television, culture, entertainment, and content-production brands.

• Television and digital media

  Fusion

  Fusion was the television and digital media operation around which Fusion Media Network was originally developed. It supplied the foundation for Univision's English-language, youth-oriented media strategy before FMG became the broader divisional structure. The Fusion television service is listed as a former FMG asset.

• Online magazine

  The Root

  The Root is an online publication focused on African-American culture and public life. Univision acquired it in 2015 and subsequently placed it within FMG, making it one of the division's identity- and culture-focused editorial properties.

• Digital publishing group · 2016

  Gizmodo Media Group

  Gizmodo Media Group was created after FMG acquired most of Gawker Media's online properties in 2016. Its portfolio covered technology, automotive, gaming, science, lifestyle, politics, food, and culture through brands including Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Kotaku, io9, Lifehacker, Deadspin, Jezebel, Earther, The Inventory, and The Takeout.

• Satirical media

  The Onion

  The Onion is a satirical news and entertainment property acquired by Univision in January 2016 and managed within the FMG portfolio. It was later sold together with Gizmodo Media Group to Great Hill Partners and became part of G/O Media.

• Content development and production · 2016

  Univision Story House

  Univision Story House was introduced in May 2016 as a content-development and production unit of Univision. Although not a conventional consumer product, it was managed by FMG and represented the division's role in developing original stories and media projects.

• Music and digital media

  Uforia

  Uforia is a Univision-associated music and media property listed among FMG's current assets. It extends the division's activities beyond editorial publishing into music-oriented content and audience engagement.

• Digital media

  The Flama

  The Flama was an FMG-associated digital media property aimed at contemporary, culturally oriented audiences. It is listed as inactive.

• Digital media

  TrackRecord.net

  TrackRecord.net was an FMG-associated online property. It is listed among the division's inactive assets, and the available reference material does not provide further detail about its editorial scope.

• 2019

  Transfer major digital publishing assets to G/O MediaM&A

  Background

  The planned sale of Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion was intended to separate those digital publishing businesses from Univision's portfolio.

  Action taken

  Great Hill Partners completed the acquisition on April 8, 2019, merging the businesses into G/O Media, Inc.

  Aftermath

  FMG no longer controlled the combined Gizmodo and Onion portfolio, which subsequently underwent further brand divestitures and ownership changes.

  Source

• 2018

  Plan the divestiture of Gizmodo Media Group and The OnionStrategy

  Background

  Univision reviewed the composition of its English-language media portfolio after several years of expansion.

  Action taken

  Univision announced plans to sell Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion.

  Aftermath

  The assets were sold to Great Hill Partners in 2019 and combined into G/O Media.

  Source

• 2016

  Create an English-language Univision media divisionStrategy

  Background

  Univision primarily served Hispanic America through Spanish-language media, while the Fusion venture provided a route into English-language media for younger audiences.

  Action taken

  After acquiring Disney-ABC's stake in Fusion Media Network, Univision launched Fusion Media Group as a broader multi-platform division.

  Aftermath

  FMG expanded through acquisitions and internal launches spanning television, digital publishing, satire, culture, and content production.

  Source

• 2016

  Acquire Gawker Media's online propertiesM&A

  Background

  FMG was building a large English-language digital portfolio and sought additional editorial brands across technology, culture, lifestyle, and other categories.

  Action taken

  FMG acquired Gawker Media's online properties other than Gawker.com and reorganized them as Gizmodo Media Group.

  Aftermath

  The transaction substantially broadened FMG's digital reach and added multiple established specialist publications.

  Source

1. 1Fusion Media Groupen.wikipedia.org