Leftist Rag Texas Observer Shutting Down and Laying off Staff
Nobody read it.
Leftist rag, Texas Observer, is shutting down all operations. On Wednesday the board of directors for The Observer voted to close up shop and lay off it’s 17-person staff.
Texas Observer produced far-left political pieces like the ones you see below. They’ve also published articles supporting Critical Race Theory and attacking “right-wingers” for taking over their school board elections.
The Texas Tribune put out an article breaking down thoughts of staff regarding the closing as well as a history of the paper.
The closing of the Observer raises questions about whether small progressive publications can survive the digital and demographic transformation of journalism and the information ecosystem during a time of rapid social and technological change.
Are they admitting that importing low IQ people into our country and state isn’t good for their leftist intellectual circle jerks?
But small publications can survive. Just look at yours truly. We are the only truly independent right-leaning news rag in Texas not funded by big money donors.
Editors note: You can support our efforts here.
The Observer had been supported for years by a small number of major donors, and wasn’t able to build a broad base of subscribers and members.
The Observer has about 4,000 print subscribers (its content is free online) and 64,000 subscribers to its free email newsletter.
Current Revolt has tens of thousands of subscribers which is pretty good for a scrappy news-rag that spends $0 on marketing and has only been around for 2 years. The Texas Observer had been around for 68 years and had only 64,000 subscribers.
Frump said the Observer was ultimately unable to adapt to the demands of a 24/7 news cycle and the proliferation of other sources of information about Texas…
17 person staff and can’t keep up with the stuff happening in Texas? Seriously?
“Our reader base and our donor base is aging out,”
We find this excuse particularity interesting considering we’re told that young people are majority leftist. There’s also plenty of lefty money out there to support lefty-Texas news. Maybe it was a content issue.
Reached Sunday night, Gabriel Arana, who was hired as the magazine’s editor in chief in April 2022 after two consecutive top editors left abruptly, said: “This is the first I’m hearing of it, the board hasn’t communicated with me or the staff about this.”
This line is brutal but many such cases where media hears of layoffs before staff does. Big failure on the Texas Observer board for failing to talk to their staff first before media got news of the shutdown.
The Observer had had some near-death experiences in recent years, including a seemingly unending turnover of editors and managers.
“We could have seen this coming. Current leadership probably could have made a few calls to alleviate some of the financial pressures and staff problems that came after I left.” He said the reason he left was “because the board of directors wouldn’t deal with racism in the organization.”
The Tribune cites massive turnover attributed to racism (lmao) among other things. Leftists seem to constantly point the racist finger at everyone other than themselves.
The Tribune goes on to mention that Lynne Dobson, whose family started Whataburger, pledged $1 million dollars in 2022 to Texas Observer, but it seems that wasn’t enough to save them.
Editors Note: If any burger millionaires or other millionaires reading this wanna throw us a few bucks it would be highly appreciated. You can donate to us directly here.
Staff also cited that they felt the board failed to properly fund-raise.
“I’m really proud of the work the staff is doing. The level of talent and the quality of journalism are really impressive. I feel the board has abdicated its responsibility for fundraising and ensuring the financial health of the publication. I think it’s shameful that they haven’t involved the staff in this decision-making in any way.”
We reached out to Tarrant County activist and school-board expert, Carlos Turcios for comment as he had been attacked in the Texas Observer for his successful efforts in calling out CRT and other leftists propaganda in schools.
Texas Observer just observed it’s own end. Maybe Texans don’t really care about woke garbage as news. - Carlos Turcios.
We’d have to agree.
It’s sad to see anyone lose their job. Especially with the economy that false-president Joe Brandon has created. But it’s hard to feel that bad about a rag shutting down whose purpose was to put out leftist propaganda that seemingly nobody cared about.
But you’re favorite newspaper of record isn’t going anywhere.
Editors Note: We would love your support though.
Okay, Tony. "ITS" does not use an apostrophe when referring to ownership. Use ITS as you would HIS or HERS (or if your leftist, THEIRS OR THEYS). And, yes, after pointing out your punctuation flaws I guess I'm obligated to donate. I could make a dig about you being a product of public education but since you a free thinker, I see you survived the public school system. Although it's disturbing that this article doesn't have its punctuation correct (see what I did there)?
Racist rag. Race and Nationality are protected classes. "American Christians are Fighting to Keep Porn Out of Elementary Schools" should be the headline.