Gothamist
Gothamist is a digital news outlet focused on hyperlocal coverage of New York City, including breaking news, culture, food, politics, and urban life.[1][2] Founded in 2003 by Jake Dobkin and Jen Chung as a blog-style site, it expanded into a network of city-specific affiliates before its acquisition in March 2017 by DNAinfo, owned by billionaire Joe Ricketts.[3][1] In November 2017, one week after Gothamist staff voted to unionize, Ricketts abruptly shuttered the entire network, including DNAinfo and Gothamist, citing persistent unprofitability despite years of subsidies; the timing fueled widespread accusations of anti-union retaliation.[4][5][6] The sites' assets were acquired in February 2018 by New York Public Radio (WNYC), with support from anonymous donors and involvement from the original founders, leading to Gothamist's relaunch under nonprofit ownership.[7][8][9] This revival preserved its archives and domain while integrating it into public media operations, marking a shift from for-profit to nonprofit structure amid ongoing debates over local journalism sustainability.[10][11]