A Transition from Print to Digital:
Until 2013, fans of biting satire could find it on newsstands for free as The Onion: America's Finest News Source, a sassy and weekly, tabloid humor publication with Madison roots that gained nationwide celebrity. "Print Dead at 1,803," the banner headline read on the last Madison print edition, published July 25.
The newspaper is still printed and distributed in Milwaukee; Chicago; Denver; Indianapolis; Omaha, Neb.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Boulder, Colo.; Austin, Texas; and Providence, R.I.
History, Growth:
The Onion began in 1988 as a way to amuse the college crowd. By 1993, the publication was mixing clever and outrageous parodies about current events with The A.V. Club, meaty and insightful commentary about pop culture, especially music.
The latter coverage today is a separate online publication, but it remains part of The Onion Inc. media empire.
The A.V. Club’s founding editor is Stephen Thompson, who now is a National Public Radio editor and music reviewer. Thompson edited The A.V. Club in Madison until 2004 and for years coached The Onion’s softball team, known for its mediocre record and once being outscored 72-0.
What began as a tabloid newspaper specializing in satire in Madison eventually gained national exposure and acclaim. TheOnion.com was born in 1996, content is updated daily, and the online archives go back to August 1996.
Founding Fathers, Other Notable Alums:
Founders of The Onion are Christopher Johnson, now publisher of the Weekly Alibi, and Tim Keck, now publisher of The Stranger.
The CEO since 2004 is Steve Hannah, former executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal.
Founding editors and former owners include Scott Dikkers, who left the publication twice but returned in 2012 as vice president of creative development. He is the founder of Dikkers Cartoon Company and creator of the Jim’s Journal comic strip.
Former editors include Robert Siegel, now a movie writer and director, and Ben Karlin, former co-producer of “The Daily Show” and co-creator of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central.
Nationwide commentators have referred to The Onion’s content as seriously funny because of the edgy commentary that underlies headlines and article content.
“That’s so Onion,” Steve Carell chuckles, during an episode of “The Office.” The publication has been quoted by numerous other actors, broadcasters and politicians. It won a Peabody Award in 2009.
The Onion was a Madison-based publication until 2001, when staff moved to New York City. Headquarters were moved to Chicago in 2012. Ad sales offices are in Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Austin, Texas, and Providence, R.I.
Readership is described as educated and influential, with content targeted to ages 18-34, especially men.
The company in 2007 began producing The Onion Radio News, a daily newcast and satellite news service that airs on radio stations worldwide.
For sale at The Onion Store are refrigerator magnets, mugs, framed prints, clothing and other items with classic Onion headlines and articles.
Humor books written by Onion editors and staff include:
“Our Dumb Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America’s Finest News Source” (1999, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion’s Finest News Reporting, Volume 1” (2000, Three Rivers Press)
“Dispatches from the Tenth Circle: The Best of The Onion” (2001, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion Ad Nauseam: Complete News Archives, Volume 13” (2002, Three Rivers Press)
“The Tenacity of the Cockroach: Conversations with Entertainment's Most Enduring Outsiders” (2002, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion Ad Nauseam: Complete News Archives, Volume 14” (2003, Three Rivers Press)
“Fanfare for the Area Man: The Onion Ad Nauseam Complete News Archives, Volume 15” (2004, Three Rivers Press)
“Embedded in America: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 16” (2005, Three Rivers Press)
“Homeland Insecurity: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 17” (2006, Three Rivers Press)
“Our Dumb World: The Onion’s Atlas of the Planet Earth” (2007, Little, Brown and Company)
“Our Front Pages: 21 Years of Greatness, Virtue and Moral Rectitude from America’s Finest News Source” (2008, Scribner)
“The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: A Definitive Encyclopedia of Existing Information,” (2012, Little, Brown and Company)
Until 2013, fans of biting satire could find it on newsstands for free as The Onion: America's Finest News Source, a sassy and weekly, tabloid humor publication with Madison roots that gained nationwide celebrity. "Print Dead at 1,803," the banner headline read on the last Madison print edition, published July 25.
The newspaper is still printed and distributed in Milwaukee; Chicago; Denver; Indianapolis; Omaha, Neb.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Boulder, Colo.; Austin, Texas; and Providence, R.I.
History, Growth:
The Onion began in 1988 as a way to amuse the college crowd. By 1993, the publication was mixing clever and outrageous parodies about current events with The A.V. Club, meaty and insightful commentary about pop culture, especially music.
The latter coverage today is a separate online publication, but it remains part of The Onion Inc. media empire.
The A.V. Club’s founding editor is Stephen Thompson, who now is a National Public Radio editor and music reviewer. Thompson edited The A.V. Club in Madison until 2004 and for years coached The Onion’s softball team, known for its mediocre record and once being outscored 72-0.
What began as a tabloid newspaper specializing in satire in Madison eventually gained national exposure and acclaim. TheOnion.com was born in 1996, content is updated daily, and the online archives go back to August 1996.
Founding Fathers, Other Notable Alums:
Founders of The Onion are Christopher Johnson, now publisher of the Weekly Alibi, and Tim Keck, now publisher of The Stranger.
The CEO since 2004 is Steve Hannah, former executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal.
Founding editors and former owners include Scott Dikkers, who left the publication twice but returned in 2012 as vice president of creative development. He is the founder of Dikkers Cartoon Company and creator of the Jim’s Journal comic strip.
Former editors include Robert Siegel, now a movie writer and director, and Ben Karlin, former co-producer of “The Daily Show” and co-creator of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central.
The Onion’s Impact
Nationwide commentators have referred to The Onion’s content as seriously funny because of the edgy commentary that underlies headlines and article content.
“That’s so Onion,” Steve Carell chuckles, during an episode of “The Office.” The publication has been quoted by numerous other actors, broadcasters and politicians. It won a Peabody Award in 2009.
The Onion was a Madison-based publication until 2001, when staff moved to New York City. Headquarters were moved to Chicago in 2012. Ad sales offices are in Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Austin, Texas, and Providence, R.I.
Readership is described as educated and influential, with content targeted to ages 18-34, especially men.
Spin-off Products
The company in 2007 began producing The Onion Radio News, a daily newcast and satellite news service that airs on radio stations worldwide.
For sale at The Onion Store are refrigerator magnets, mugs, framed prints, clothing and other items with classic Onion headlines and articles.
Humor books written by Onion editors and staff include:
“Our Dumb Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America’s Finest News Source” (1999, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion’s Finest News Reporting, Volume 1” (2000, Three Rivers Press)
“Dispatches from the Tenth Circle: The Best of The Onion” (2001, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion Ad Nauseam: Complete News Archives, Volume 13” (2002, Three Rivers Press)
“The Tenacity of the Cockroach: Conversations with Entertainment's Most Enduring Outsiders” (2002, Three Rivers Press)
“The Onion Ad Nauseam: Complete News Archives, Volume 14” (2003, Three Rivers Press)
“Fanfare for the Area Man: The Onion Ad Nauseam Complete News Archives, Volume 15” (2004, Three Rivers Press)
“Embedded in America: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 16” (2005, Three Rivers Press)
“Homeland Insecurity: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 17” (2006, Three Rivers Press)
“Our Dumb World: The Onion’s Atlas of the Planet Earth” (2007, Little, Brown and Company)
“Our Front Pages: 21 Years of Greatness, Virtue and Moral Rectitude from America’s Finest News Source” (2008, Scribner)
“The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: A Definitive Encyclopedia of Existing Information,” (2012, Little, Brown and Company)