Newsarama#Criticism

Newsarama began in mid-1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In the forum postings, Doran shared comic book-related news items he had found across the World Wide Web and, as these postings became more regular and read widely, he gave them the title "Prodigy Comic Book Newswire."

In January 1997, Doran began to post a version of the column titled The Comics Newswire on Usenet's various rec.arts.comics communities.{{Cite web |title=About Newsarama |url=http://www.newsarama.com/NRamaHistory.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060422222933/http://www.newsarama.com/NRamaHistory.html |archive-date=April 22, 2006 |website=Newsarama}} The name of the column evolved to The Newswire, and then to CBI Newsarama,{{Cite web |last=Meyer |first=Jeff |date=October 8, 2007 |title=GoCollect Blog: Imaginova Purchases Newsarama.com |url=https://gocollect.com/blog/imaginova_purchases_newsarama_com |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=gocollect.com |language=en}} before finally becoming Newsarama in 1998, with the help of co-creator Matt Brady. That year, Doran broke the news of Jim Lee's sale of WildStorm to DC Comics, solidifying Newsarama as a major source for industry news.

Newsarama became one of the first online news sources for the comic book industry, allowing it to gain popularity when it could break stories faster than other comic book news sources that appeared in printed publications. Although the column in its earliest forms reported both news and rumors, it later adopted a more journalistic news approach.{{citation needed|date=April 2011}}

Doran's postings left Usenet in 1998, becoming a Newsarama column on such websites as Mania.com, AnotherUniverse.com, Fandom.com and Comicon.com.{{Cite web |last=Doran |first=Michael |date=May 12, 2001 |title=NEWSARAMA STRIKES AGAIN! |url=http://www.comicon.com:80/newsarama/about.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010811212710/http://www.comicon.com:80/newsarama/about.shtml |archive-date=August 11, 2001 |website=Comicon.com}}

In August 2002, the Newsarama column became a semi-autonomous site, hosted by Kevin Smith's ViewAskew.com network of sites.{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2002 |title=Marvel Hires Newsarama's Michael Doran |url=https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/2018/marvel-hires-newsaramas-michael-doran |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=icv2.com |language=en}} Three months later, Doran left Newsarama to take a staff position at Marvel Comics. Brady took over writing for the site.

Doran later returned to work at Newsarama, while Brady continued working as primary writer for the site.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} The site left the ViewAskew.com network and became independent in early April 2006. That same year, the site absorbed The Great Curve blog to create Blog@Newsarama.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2008-11-26 |title=Ch-changes at Blog@ |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/ch-changes-at-blog/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

Newsarama was acquired by Imaginova in October 2007.{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=October 8, 2007 |title=Newsarama acquired by Imaginova |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/newsarama-acquired-by-imaginova/ |access-date=25 June 2022 |website=Comics Beat}} The writers soon became unhappy with the new owners when Imaginova relaunched the website without notifying the staff. When a promised raise fell through, those who contributed to Blog@Newsarama quit en masse in November 2008. A new team of contributors were brought on a month later.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2008-12-01 |title=New Blog@Newsarama debuts |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/new-blognewsarama-debuts/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}} Brady left the site in July 2009, leaving Doran and Lucas Siegel to run the site, with Siegel taking the position of Site Editor.{{cite web |last=Brady |first=Matt |date=July 17, 2009 |title=Matt Brady: Hello, I Must be Going |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/070917-goodbye.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718212324/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/070917-goodbye.html |archive-date=July 18, 2009 |access-date=June 17, 2018 |website=Newsarama}}

In October 2009, TopTenREVIEWS acquired Newsarama, alongside Space.com and Live Science.{{cite web|url=http://www.livescience.com/technology/091026-ttr-acquisition.html|title=TopTenREVIEWS Acquires Space.com, LiveScience and Newsarama |website=LiveScience|date=October 26, 2009|access-date=June 17, 2018}} After the acquisition, TopTenREVIEWS rebranded to TechMedia Network.{{Cite web |last=Shields |first=Mike |date=2011-09-27 |title=The Hot Web Content Company You've Never Heard Of |url=https://digiday.com/media/the-hot-web-content-company-youve-never-heard-of/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}} In April 2014, the company changed its name again to Purch Group.{{Cite web|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/introducing-purch-the-definitive-buying-decision-platform-1904785.htm|title=Introducing Purch: The Definitive Buying Decision Platform|website=Marketwire|date=2014-08-30|access-date=2016-03-14}}

Newsarama has been quoted as a source of comic news by the mainstream media, including The New York Times.{{cite news|first= George Gene|last=Gustines|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/books/08capt.html|title=Captain America Is Dead; National Hero Since 1941|work=The New York Times|date=March 8, 2007|access-date=June 17, 2018}} In 2006, Entertainment Weekly listed Newsarama as one of its "25 favorite online entertainment sites" in 2006{{Cite web |last=Kohn |first=Eric |date=June 14, 2006 |title=Bookmark This Page! |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2006/06/16/bookmark-this-page-100-best-entertainment-sites |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209021337/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1204068,00.html |archive-date=February 9, 2007 |website=EW.com}} and as one of its "100 Greatest Websites" in 2007.{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2007/12/21/100-greatest-websites/|title=The 100 Greatest Websites — New & Improved!|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=December 21, 2007|access-date=June 17, 2018}}

Newsarama originally maintained a registered member forum known as talk@Newsarama. In 2010, Newsarama closed down the forum and redirected readers to comment on the site's Facebook page.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} In 2013, Blog@Newsarama was discontinued after Graeme McMillan moved to The Hollywood Reporter.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2013-07-05 |title=RIP: Blog@ Newsarama? |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/rip-blog-newsarama/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

Purch's consumer brands, including Newsarama, were acquired by Future US in July 2018.{{Cite web |last=Dool |first=Greg |date=2018-07-19 |title=UK-Based Future Acquires Purch for $132.5 Million |url=https://www.foliomag.com/uk-based-future-acquires-purch-for-132-5-million/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903045828/https://www.foliomag.com/uk-based-future-acquires-purch-for-132-5-million/ |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |access-date=2018-12-19 |website=Folio |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Southern |first=Lucinda |date=2018-07-18 |title=Future buys Purch to boost US revenue |url=https://digiday.com/media/future-buys-purch-boost-us-revenue/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}

In June 2020, Newsarama stopped being a standalone site and became part of the GamesRadar+ website, another brand owned by Future US.{{cite web |last1=MacDonald |first1=Heidi |title=Comics news site Newsarama to become part of GamesRadar+ |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/comics-news-site-newsarama-to-become-part-of-games-rader/ |website=Comics Beat |access-date=18 June 2020 |date=1 June 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Rich |title=Newsarama To Move Under GamesRadar Domain URL From Monday |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/newsarama-gamesradar-domain-url-monday/ |website=Bleeding Cool |access-date=18 June 2020 |date=30 May 2020}} During the transition, most of the website's archives were erased.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2023-08-23 |title=UPDATED: Deleted tweet reveals behind the scenes turmoil at CBR |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/deleted-tweet-reveals-behind-the-scenes-turmoil-at-cbr/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

In February 2022, long-time contributor and editor Chris Arrant left to become editor-in-chief of ReedPOP.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2022-02-23 |title=ReedPOP hires Chris Arrant as Editor-in-Chief |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/reedpop-hires-chris-arrant-as-editor-in-chief/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}} On 2 February 2023, it was announced that Doran had left Newsarama and GamesRadar+.{{cite web |last1=MacDonald |first1=Heidi |title=End of an Era: Mike Doran leaves Games Radar/Newsarama |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/end-of-an-era-mike-doran-leaves-games-radar-newsarama/ |website=Comics Beat |access-date=7 March 2023 |date=2 February 2023}}{{cite web |last1=McMillan |first1=Graeme |title=Newsarama co-founder makes a surprise exit from the comics journalism outlet |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/newsarama-doran-mike-michael-gamesradar-future-plc |website=Popverse |access-date=7 March 2023 |language=en |date=2 February 2023}}

Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada's column "Joe Fridays" (renamed "New Joe Fridays" in 2006 as a joke regarding Marvel's penchant for relaunching titles with the prefix "new") appeared weekly until 2008, when the column moved to MySpace as "My Cup O' Joe."{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Robert |date=2008-03-09 |title=Quesada Gets Dunked @ MegaCon |url=https://www.cbr.com/quesada-gets-dunked-megacon/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=CBR |language=en}} Spider-Man editor Stephen Wacker contributed to the "Weekly Webbing" Q&A column.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Vaneta |date=August 25, 2009 |title=WEEKLY WEBBING with WACKER: Fan Questions! |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080925-Weekly-Webbing-Wacker.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828035301/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080925-Weekly-Webbing-Wacker.html |archive-date=August 28, 2009 |website=Newsarama}}

Quesada then began writing the column "Cup of Joe" on Comic Book Resources when MySpace shut down its comic book division in 2009.{{Cite web |last=Fitzsimons |first=Kate |date=June 23, 2009 |title=Comics Briefly |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/8207-comics-briefly.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}} Former DC Comics editor Michael Siglain contributed the weekly "5.2 About 52" Q&A column covering the weekly comic book series 52.{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Matt |date=January 5, 2007 |title=5.2 (or so) ABOUT 52 #35 WITH EDITOR MICHAEL SIGLAIN |url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=96449 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108103551/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=96449 |archive-date=January 8, 2007 |website=Newsarama}} DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio participated in a bi-weekly Q&A column, as well as a weekly column focusing on Countdown.{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Matt |date=October 29, 2008 |title=Dan DiDio: 20 Questions, 20 Answers |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/1110805-Call-DiDio-Questions.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113090823/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/100829-Dan-Didio-20-Questions.html |archive-date=November 13, 2008 |website=Newsarama}}{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Matt |date=August 17, 2007 |title=COUNTING DOWN WITH DAN DIDIO: THE FIRST THIRD |url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=125767 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907073743/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=125767 |archive-date=September 7, 2007 |website=Newsarama}}

Regular columns have included "Animated Shorts" by Steve Fritz,{{Cite web |last=Fritz |first=Steve |date=November 27, 2008 |title=Animated Shorts: Craig McCracken - Back to Foster's |url=http://www.newsarama.com/1626-animated-shorts-craig-mccracken-back-to-foster-s.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019155928/http://www.newsarama.com/1626-animated-shorts-craig-mccracken-back-to-foster-s.html |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |website=Newsarama}} "Write or Wrong" by Dirk Manning,{{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Write-Or-Wrong-A-Writers-Guide-To-Creating-Comics-2nd-Edition/Dirk-Manning/9798888760130 |title=Write Or Wrong: A Writer's Guide To Creating Comics [2nd Edition] |date=2023-12-28 |isbn=979-8-88876-013-0 |language=en |last1=Manning |first1=Dirk |publisher=Source Point Press }} "Agent of S.T.Y.L.E." by Alan Kistler,{{Cite web |last=Kistler |first=Alan |date=February 25, 2011 |title=Agent of S.T.Y.L.E.: The Renegade Flash Facts of Fashion! (Part Three of Three!) |url=http://blog.newsarama.com/2011/02/25/agent-of-s-t-y-l-e-the-renegade-flash-facts-of-fashion-part-three-of-three/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110228225342/http://blog.newsarama.com/2011/02/25/agent-of-s-t-y-l-e-the-renegade-flash-facts-of-fashion-part-three-of-three/ |archive-date=February 28, 2011 |website=Newsarama}} covering the evolution of costumes and designs for different comic book characters, and "Best Shots" by reviewers from ShotgunReviews.com.{{cite web |url=http://www.shotgunreviews.com/about/ |title=About Shotgun Reviews |accessdate=2008-10-20 |work=Shotgun Reviews |date= |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080620022029/http://www.shotgunreviews.com/about/|archivedate = 2008-06-20}} Troy Brownfield contributed multiple columns, including "Right to Assemble",{{Cite web |last=Brownfield |first=Troy |date=October 7, 2009 |title=AVENGERS: Right To Assemble 4: The Power Trio And A SIEGE |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091007-Right-Assemble-Avengers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010122115/http://www.newsarama.com:80/comics/091007-Right-Assemble-Avengers.html |archive-date=October 10, 2009 |website=Newsarama}} covering Marvel's Avengers titles, "Column . . . for JUSTICE," covering Justice League titles, "Getting Animated," and "Friday Flashback."{{cite web |url= http://www.newsarama.com/3867-friday-flashback-uncanny-x-men-and-the-new-teen-titans.html|title= Friday Flashback: Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans|first= Troy|last= Brownfield|date= September 18, 2009 |publisher= Newsarama|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130804034523/http://www.newsarama.com/3867-friday-flashback-uncanny-x-men-and-the-new-teen-titans.html|archive-date= August 4, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}

Newsarama has also run a series of "Post Game" columns offering coverage and commentary of popular genre-related television programs on a regular basis. Covered shows include Lost, Smallville, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Fringe, Flash Forward, and others.{{citation needed|date=April 2011}}

In November 2005, Michael Dean, writing in The Comics Journal, studied Internet comic book industry news sources and evaluated Newsarama's journalistic performance. The study praised the site for the depth of coverage provided in some articles, but criticized its reliance on press releases and the "softness" of the questions asked in its interviews.{{cite journal|url=http://www.tcj.com/272/n_online.html|title=The Comics Journal: Newswatch|journal=The Comics Journal|date=November 23, 2005|access-date=January 13, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505024613/http://www.tcj.com/272/n_online.html|archive-date=May 5, 2006}} Dean focused on one story in particular, "Diamond Changes Thresholds" by Matt Brady.{{cite web|url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?threadid=43699|title=Diamond Changes Thresholds|website=Newsarama|date=September 19, 2005|access-date=January 13, 2016|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122205113/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?threadid=43699|archive-date=January 22, 2009}} Though he found the piece qualified as "journalism", Dean also found it: "contained factual inaccuracies, failed to get multiple points of view and sucked up to its corporate subject".

At WonderCon 2008, Bill Willingham revealed information about his Fables comic book series that he asked journalists not to report on. Graeme McMillan, representing Newsarama, agreed to leave the information out of his transcript, leading fans to criticize the website's reporting.{{Cite web |last=Parkin |first=J.K. |date=February 24, 2008 |title=Why are Fables called 'Fables?' or the redemption of Graeme McMillan |url=http://blog.newsarama.com/2008/02/24/why-are-fables-called-fables-or-the-redemption-of-graeme-mcmillan/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725054639/http://blog.newsarama.com/2008/02/24/why-are-fables-called-fables-or-the-redemption-of-graeme-mcmillan/ |archive-date=July 25, 2008 |website=Newsarama}}{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2008-02-25 |title=Who reports on the reporters? |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/who-reports-on-the-reporters/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

The site has been the recipient of a number of awards and award nominations, including:

• 1999 Eagle Award nomination for Favorite Comics-Related Website (professional).{{cite web |url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=1999|title=The Eagle Awards - Results|access-date=July 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526162053/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=1999|archive-date=May 26, 2007}}
• 2000 Eagle Award nomination for Favourite Comics-Related Website (professional).{{cite web|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2000|title=The Eagle Awards - Results|access-date=July 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526162129/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2000|archive-date=May 26, 2007}}
• 2004 Eagle Award for Favorite Comics E-Zine.{{cite web|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2004 |title=The Eagle Awards - Results|access-date=July 19, 2016|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526162155/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2004|archive-date=May 26, 2007}}
• 2005 Eagle Award nomination for Favourite Comics-Related Website.{{cite web|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp|title=The Eagle Awards - Results|access-date=July 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205020733/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp|archive-date=February 5, 2007}}
• 2006 Eagle Award for Favorite Comics-Related Website.{{cite web|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2006|title=The Eagle Awards - Results |access-date=July 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529043839/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/results.asp?year=2006|archive-date=May 29, 2007}}
• 2007 Eagle Award nomination for Favorite Comics Related Website.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2007-03-29 |title=Eagle Award Nominations up! |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/eagle-award-nominations-up/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}
• 2008 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/2008-eisner-nominations-announced/|title=2008 Eisner Nominations|website=Comic Book Resources|date=April 14, 2008|access-date=June 17, 2018}}
• 2019 Tripwire Award nomination for Best Comics-related Website/Publication.{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-05-05 |title=Portsmouth Comic Con 219: Tripwire Awards 2019 Announces Its Winners |url=https://tripwiremagazine.co.uk/headlines/portsmouth-comic-con-219-tripwire-awards-2019-announces-its-winners/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=TRIPWIRE MAGAZINE |language=en-GB}}
• 2020 Tripwire Award for Best Comics-related Website/Publication.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-06-17 |title=Winners of 2020 Tripwire Awards announced - including Newsarama |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/winners-of-2020-tripwire-awards-announced-including-newsarama/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=gamesradar |language=en}}
• 2021 Tripwire Award nomination for Best Comics-Related Website/Publications.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-08-27 |title=Tripwire Awards 2021 Results In Full |url=https://tripwiremagazine.co.uk/headlines/tripwire-awards-2021-results-in-full/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=TRIPWIRE MAGAZINE |language=en-GB}}
• 2022 Tripwire Award nomination for Best Comics-Related Website/Publications.{{Cite web |last=MacNamee |first=Olly |date=September 30, 2022 |title=The Tripwire Awards 2022 Winners |url=https://comicon.com/2022/09/30/the-tripwire-awards-2022-winners/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=comicon.com}}

{{Reflist}}

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• [http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/newsarama.com Alexa site statistics for Newsarama.com]

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