“This is a shakedown,” Geithner continued. “I don’t know who this individual is,” Geithner stated in a denial that was included at the end of staff writer Jordan Sargent’s lengthy narrative, almost as an afterthought. Geithner, a press-shy media executive with a low public profile, had disputed Gawker’s account, which shielded the identity of his “gay porn star” accuser-giving him the false name “Ryan”-and offered as evidence a supposed selfie that Geithner allegedly sent to “Ryan,” various real estate property records, a FED EX receipt (pixilated to blur “Ryan”’s true name and address in Texas), and supposed exchanges of text messages between “Ryan” and Geithner. We condemn the takedown in the strongest possible terms.” The statement concluded: “Disagreements about editorial judgment are matters to be resolved by editorial employees. “Some of our own writers, proud to work at one of the only independent media companies, are equally appalled” by the story, Denton continued.īut then, on Friday evening, editorial staff, disgusted at Denton’s decision-in which he voted with three of the five other Gawker Media managing partners to kill the story- issued their own statement, saying the story had been taken down against the wishes of the “entire executive editorial staff.” “Not only is criticism of yesterday’s piece from readers intense, but much of what they’ve said has resonated,” Denton wrote on his web site, 18 hours and four minutes after Gawker posted a story alleging that David Geithner-a heterosexually married father of three, the younger brother of former treasury secretary Tim Geithner, and the chief financial officer of Condé Nast Publications-had attempted to hire a male prostitute for a tryst during a trip to Chicago on July 11. These texts were interesting, but not enough, in my view.A tumultuous day has ended in civil war breaking out at gossip website Gawker, after an exposé of a businessman’s private life blew up spectacularly in the website’s face.įirst, in a stunning about-face, Gawker Media’s Nick Denton on Friday took down a story about alleged sexual behavior that he and his top editors initially praised and defended, only to provoke a storm of revulsion from both inside and outside his 300-employee company. They have to reveal something meaningful. It is not enough for them simply to be true. But this decision will establish a clear standard for future stories. “David Geithner’s embarrassment will not be eased. “This action will not turn back the clock,” he said. Gawker is currently fighting a $100 million lawsuit filed by Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, for publishing a leaked video that showed the wrestling legend having sex with the ex-wife of wrestler and radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge.Īlso Read: Gawker Media Editorial Staff Vote in Favor of Unionizing With Writers Guild of Americaĭenton acknowledged that removing the post will only go so far to mitigate its effects. “I can’t defend yesterday’s story as I can our coverage of Bill O’Reilly, Hillary Clinton or Hulk Hogan.” “I believe this public mood reflects a growing recognition that we all have secrets, and they are not all equally worthy of exposure,” he said.
![conde nast gawker conde nast gawker](https://i1.wp.com/nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/458332690.jpg)
Some of our own writers, proud to work at one of the only independent media companies, are equally appalled,” he wrote. “Not only is criticism of yesterday’s piece from readers intense, but much of what they’ve said has resonated. But according to Denton, the media landscape has changed since the site’s founding in 2003.