Salon, a pioneering online general-interest publication, announces it is shutting down after 31 years

Summary

Salon, an online general-interest publication known for politics, arts and culture coverage, announced on Thursday that it is closing, weeks before its 31st anniversary. The Guardian reports that the outlet, which has been publishing for more than three decades, said in a statement that it was never just a website but an idea about what journalism could be, born when the internet was still a largely unexplored frontier. The Verge reports that Salon launched 31 years ago as one of the first online-only news magazines and announced the closure in an unsigned post, citing changed business realities for independent digital journalism and saying its publishing model is no longer sustainable. Hindustan Times reports that Salon began in the mid-1990s, barely three years after the internet went mainstream, and that its archives will remain online for now.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   5 Nov 2026, 21:27 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Salon announced on Thursday that it is closing after more than three decades, weeks before its anniversary, and quotes its statement that it was never just a website but an idea about what journalism could be.

2. The Verge

   5 Nov 2026, 22:08 UTCSource ↗

   The Verge reports that Salon, which launched 31 years ago as one of the first online-only news magazines, announced in an unsigned post that it is ceasing publication, citing changed business realities for independent digital journalism and a publishing model it says is no longer sustainable.

3. Hindustan Times

   6 Nov 2026, 06:29 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reports that Salon began in the mid-1990s, barely three years after the internet went mainstream, and that its archives will remain online for now.