The feminist news site Jezebel, which recently closed down, has been sold to a new owner. Paste Media, a company known for its music coverage, has acquired the brand and plans to relaunch it soon. Jezebel was originally part of the Gawker empire and has had several owners over the years. The most recent owner, private equity firm G/O Media, blamed economic challenges for the closure. Despite this, they expressed hope that a deal could still be reached. The sale of Jezebel has been met with tributes and sadness from those who appreciated its unique and influential voice in digital media.

The founding editor-in-chief of Paste, Josh Jackson, expressed his excitement about reviving Jezebel. He stated that the idea of the site not existing anymore didn’t make sense to him, and he jumped at the opportunity to bring it back to life. The terms of the all-cash deal were not disclosed, but Jackson mentioned that they would need to hire an editor-in-chief and assemble a team of talented editors and writers. He hopes to start publishing new stories very soon. Paste also acquired Splinter, a political news site that G/O Media shut down in 2019.

The closure of Jezebel is part of a larger trend in the media industry, where changes in online advertising have had a negative impact on many businesses. More and more advertising spending is going to tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta, leaving smaller media companies struggling. Despite these challenges, Paste has managed to weather the changes in the media landscape and remains a stable presence. Jackson is confident that Paste can provide a stable home for Jezebel, which has consistently attracted over three million monthly users.

In conclusion, the feminist news site Jezebel has been sold to Paste Media and will be relaunched soon. The closure of Jezebel drew tributes and sadness from its loyal readers. The new owner, Josh Jackson, is excited about reviving the site and believes it is an essential voice in the digital media landscape. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Jackson mentioned the need to hire an editor-in-chief and assemble a team of talented editors and writers. The closure of Jezebel is part of a larger trend in the media industry, where changes in online advertising have negatively impacted many businesses. Despite these challenges, Paste Media remains a stable presence and is confident in its ability to provide a home for Jezebel.

Original news source: Feminist site Jezebel to be revived after sale (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They should focus on the key details and important information. Afterward, they can share their summaries with the class and compare their responses.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will discuss their opinions on the sale and relaunch of Jezebel. They should consider the impact of the closure, the potential for its revival, and the importance of feminist voices in digital media. After the discussion, each group will present their opinions to the class and support their arguments with evidence from the article.

– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on separate index cards. One student from each group will select a card and try to explain the word to their group without using the word itself. The group members must guess the word based on the description given. This activity encourages students to use synonyms and paraphrasing skills while reinforcing vocabulary from the article.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will create catchy headlines for the article based on the content. They should aim to capture the main idea and attract readers’ attention. Afterward, each group will present their headline to the class and explain their reasoning behind it.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Students will imagine themselves as media analysts and predict the future of Jezebel under its new ownership. They should consider factors such as audience engagement, revenue streams, and potential challenges. They can present their predictions individually or in small groups, providing supporting reasons for their forecasts.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What company has acquired the feminist news site Jezebel?
2. Why did the previous owner of Jezebel, G/O Media, blame economic challenges for the closure?
3. How did the closure of Jezebel affect its readers?
4. Who is the founding editor-in-chief of Paste Media?
5. What does Josh Jackson believe about the existence of Jezebel?
6. What other website did Paste Media acquire from G/O Media?
7. What is the larger trend in the media industry that the closure of Jezebel is a part of?
8. How many monthly users did Jezebel consistently attract?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The feminist news site Jezebel, which recently closed down, has been sold to a new owner. Paste (1)______, a company known for its music coverage, has acquired the brand and plans to relaunch it soon. Jezebel was originally part of the Gawker (2)______ and has had several owners over the years. The most recent owner, private (3)______ firm G/O Media, blamed economic challenges for the closure. Despite this, they expressed hope that a deal could still be reached. The sale of Jezebel has been met with tributes and sadness from those who appreciated its unique and (4)______ voice in digital media.

The founding editor-in-chief of Paste, Josh Jackson, expressed his excitement about reviving (5)______. He stated that the idea of the site not existing anymore didn’t make sense to him, and he (6)______ at the opportunity to bring it back to life. The (7)______ of the all-cash deal were not disclosed, but Jackson mentioned that they would need to hire an editor-in-chief and assemble a team of talented editors and (8)______. He hopes to start publishing new stories very soon. Paste also acquired Splinter, a political news site that G/O Media shut down in 2019.

The closure of Jezebel is part of a larger trend in the media industry, where changes in online advertising have had a negative impact on many businesses. More and more advertising (9)______ is going to tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta, leaving smaller media companies struggling. Despite these challenges, Paste has managed to weather the changes in the media landscape and (10)______ a stable presence. Jackson is confident that Paste can provide a stable home for Jezebel, which has consistently attracted over three million monthly (11)______.

In (12)______, the feminist news site Jezebel has been sold to Paste Media and will be relaunched soon. The closure of Jezebel drew tributes and sadness from its loyal readers. The new owner, Josh (13)______, is excited about reviving the site and believes it is an essential voice in the digital media landscape. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Jackson mentioned the need to hire an editor-in-chief and assemble a team of talented editors and writers. The closure of Jezebel is part of a larger (14)______ in the media industry, where changes in online (15)______ have negatively impacted many businesses. Despite these challenges, Paste Media remains a stable (16)______ and is confident in its ability to provide a home for Jezebel.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on the sale of Jezebel to Paste Media?
2. How would you feel if a news site you enjoyed reading closed down?
3. Do you think it’s important to have feminist voices in digital media? Why or why not?
4. What do you think are the challenges faced by smaller media companies in the current media landscape?
5. Have you ever experienced changes in online advertising affecting a business you know? Can you share your experience?
6. How do you think the closure of Jezebel will impact the digital media landscape?
7. Do you think it’s necessary for media companies to adapt to changes in online advertising? Why or why not?
8. What qualities do you think an editor-in-chief of a news site like Jezebel should have?
9. How do you think the relaunch of Jezebel will be received by its loyal readers?
10. Do you think it’s possible for Jezebel to regain its influence in the digital media industry? Why or why not?
11. What other feminist news sites or platforms do you follow? How do they compare to Jezebel?
12. How do you think the acquisition of Jezebel by Paste Media will impact the content and direction of the site?
13. Do you think the closure of Jezebel is indicative of a larger issue in the media industry? Why or why not?
14. How important do you think it is for media companies to have stable financial backing in order to survive in the current landscape?
15. Do you believe that digital media can have a significant impact on social and cultural issues? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Jezebel
2. sold
3. Paste
4. closure
5. owner
6. media
7. site
8. relaunch

Meanings:
(a) The act of permanently shutting down
(b) The feminist news site that was sold
(c) The company that acquired Jezebel
(d) The industry that involves the production and distribution of news and entertainment
(e) The person or entity that possesses or controls something
(f) The specific location or platform on the internet
(g) The action of transferring ownership to another party
(h) The process of restarting or reintroducing something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who recently acquired the feminist news site Jezebel?
(a) G/O Media
(b) Paste Media
(c) Gawker
(d) Splinter

2. Why did G/O Media close down Jezebel?
(a) Lack of readership
(b) Competition from other news sites
(c) Economic challenges
(d) Change in ownership

3. Who expressed excitement about reviving Jezebel?
(a) G/O Media
(b) Josh Jackson
(c) Paste Media
(d) The founding editor-in-chief of Gawker

4. What other news site did Paste Media acquire?
(a) Gawker
(b) G/O Media
(c) Jezebel
(d) Splinter

5. What has had a negative impact on many media businesses?
(a) Changes in online advertising
(b) Lack of quality content
(c) Decreased readership
(d) Competition from tech giants

6. How many monthly users did Jezebel consistently attract?
(a) Less than one million
(b) Over five million
(c) Over three million
(d) Less than three million

7. What does the article say about Paste Media?
(a) It remains a stable presence
(b) It is struggling in the media landscape
(c) It has recently closed down
(d) It is owned by G/O Media

8. What does the article say about the terms of the deal?
(a) It was an all-cash deal
(b) It involved a merger with Gawker
(c) It included the closure of Paste Media
(d) They were not disclosed

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Paste Media, known for its music coverage, has not acquired Jezebel.
2. The sale of Jezebel has not received tributes and sadness from its loyal readers.
3. Jezebel recently shut down before being acquired by a new owner.
4. The founding editor-in-chief of Paste, Josh Jackson, is excited about reviving Jezebel.
5. Jezebel was originally part of the Gawker empire and has had multiple owners.
6. Changes in online advertising have negatively impacted many businesses in the media industry.
7. The most recent owner of Jezebel, G/O Media, credited economic challenges for the closure.
8. Jezebel, a feminist news site, has been sold to Paste Media.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What were the reasons given for the closure of Jezebel?
2. How did the sale of Jezebel to Paste Media receive a response from its readers?
3. Who is the founding editor-in-chief of Paste Media?
4. What other media site did Paste Media acquire along with Jezebel?
5. What larger trend in the media industry does the closure of Jezebel reflect?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Paste Media has acquired the feminist news site Jezebel.
2. G/O Media blamed economic challenges for the closure of Jezebel.
3. The closure of Jezebel drew tributes and sadness from its loyal readers.
4. Josh Jackson is the founding editor-in-chief of Paste Media.
5. Josh Jackson believes that the idea of Jezebel not existing anymore doesn’t make sense, and he is excited about reviving the site.
6. Paste Media also acquired Splinter, a political news site, from G/O Media.
7. The closure of Jezebel is part of a larger trend in the media industry where changes in online advertising have negatively impacted many businesses.
8. Jezebel consistently attracted over three million monthly users.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Media
(2) empire
(3) equity
(4) influential
(5) Jezebel
(6) jumped
(7) terms
(8) writers
(9) spending
(10) remains
(11) users
(12) conclusion
(13) Jackson
(14) trend
(15) advertising
(16) presence
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Jezebel
Answer: (b) The feminist news site that was sold

2. sold
Answer: (g) The action of transferring ownership to another party

3. Paste
Answer: (c) The company that acquired Jezebel

4. closure
Answer: (a) The act of permanently shutting down

5. owner
Answer: (e) The person or entity that possesses or controls something

6. media
Answer: (d) The industry that involves the production and distribution of news and entertainment

7. site
Answer: (f) The specific location or platform on the internet

8. relaunch
Answer: (h) The process of restarting or reintroducing something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who recently acquired the feminist news site Jezebel?
Answer: (b) Paste Media

2. Why did G/O Media close down Jezebel?
Answer: (c) Economic challenges

3. Who expressed excitement about reviving Jezebel?
Answer: (b) Josh Jackson

4. What other news site did Paste Media acquire?
Answer: (d) Splinter

5. What has had a negative impact on many media businesses?
Answer: (a) Changes in online advertising

6. How many monthly users did Jezebel consistently attract?
Answer: (c) Over three million

7. What does the article say about Paste Media?
Answer: (a) It remains a stable presence

8. What does the article say about the terms of the deal?
Answer: (d) They were not disclosed
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Paste Media, known for its music coverage, has not acquired Jezebel. (Answer: False)
2. The sale of Jezebel has not received tributes and sadness from its loyal readers. (Answer: False)
3. Jezebel recently shut down before being acquired by a new owner. (Answer: False)
4. The founding editor-in-chief of Paste, Josh Jackson, is excited about reviving Jezebel. (Answer: True)
5. Jezebel was originally part of the Gawker empire and has had multiple owners. (Answer: True)
6. Changes in online advertising have negatively impacted many businesses in the media industry. (Answer: True)
7. The most recent owner of Jezebel, G/O Media, credited economic challenges for the closure. (Answer: False)
8. Jezebel, a feminist news site, has been sold to Paste Media. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧