Group Nine Media
Group Nine Media was an American digital media holding company that combined several publisher-led entertainment and news brands before being acquired by Vox Media in 2022.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Group Nine Media was an American digital media holding company established in October 2016 through the combination of four publisher brands: Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker. SourceFed, another digital-media property associated with the group, was also part of the formation before later being discontinued. The company was headquartered in New York City and operated as a portfolio business rather than as a conventional single-format broadcaster. Its portfolio reflected the shift of media consumption toward mobile platforms, social video, online publishing, and distributed content. Thrillist focused on food, travel, entertainment, and lifestyle coverage; NowThis developed short-form news and public-affairs video for social platforms; The Dodo built an emotionally driven animal and pet media franchise; and Seeker produced science, technology, and exploration programming. Together, these brands gave Group Nine a broad presence across editorial websites, social networks, digital video, branded content, and platform-native storytelling. Discovery Communications became a major early investor when Group Nine was formed, committing $100 million for a minority position and receiving an option to obtain a majority stake. Discovery later led a further $40 million funding round in 2017. In 2019, Group Nine raised an additional $50 million round led by Discovery with participation from Axel Springer. These investments supported the expansion of its editorial properties, video operations, audience-development capabilities, and commercial partnerships. The financial figures and ownership arrangements are reported in the cited Wikipedia account: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_Nine_Media. In October 2019, Group Nine acquired PopSugar, a prominent digital publisher covering lifestyle, beauty, wellness, fashion, and popular culture. The acquisition broadened the portfolio beyond the original four brands and strengthened Group Nine's position in consumer lifestyle media. In December 2020, the company formed a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, intending to use public-market capital for a future merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination. The initiative reflected the period's wider interest in taking digital-media companies toward public-market financing. Group Nine's independent corporate existence ended after Vox Media announced in December 2021 that it intended to acquire the company. The transaction closed on February 22, 2022, after which Group Nine was folded into Vox Media. Its brands and capabilities therefore became part of Vox Media's broader digital publishing and advertising portfolio rather than continuing as an independent holding company. Group Nine is best understood as a notable 2010s digital-media consolidator: it assembled recognizable, socially distributed editorial brands, attracted strategic backing from large media and publishing investors, expanded through acquisition, experimented with a SPAC structure, and ultimately joined a larger digital-media group.
History
Group Nine Media emerged in October 2016 during a period when digital publishers were seeking scale across editorial, video, advertising, and social distribution. Rather than launching as a single publication, it was created by bringing together four existing properties: Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker. The portfolio covered distinct but complementary audience interests. Thrillist addressed food, travel, entertainment, and lifestyle; NowThis specialized in short, highly shareable news video; The Dodo centered on animal stories and pet-related content; and Seeker produced science, technology, and exploration programming. SourceFed was also associated with the formation but was later discontinued. Discovery Communications supplied substantial early strategic and financial support. At formation, Discovery announced a $100 million minority investment and became the largest shareholder before Axel Springer, while retaining the right to seek a majority position in the future. Discovery subsequently led a $40 million funding round in 2017. In 2019, Group Nine raised another $50 million from a round led by Discovery and joined by Axel Springer. These investments enabled the company to develop a larger digital-video operation, expand audience reach, and package multiple brands for advertisers and distribution partners. The portfolio expanded materially in October 2019 when Group Nine acquired PopSugar. PopSugar added a well-established lifestyle publisher with coverage spanning beauty, wellness, fashion, entertainment, and related consumer topics. The transaction made Group Nine less dependent on its original set of socially distributed video brands and broadened its appeal to lifestyle audiences and commercial partners. In December 2020, Group Nine created its own SPAC. The stated purpose was to use public funding for a future business combination, including a merger, capital-stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar transaction. The move placed Group Nine within the broader wave of digital-media companies exploring public-market structures, although it did not result in Group Nine remaining an independent public company. The company's independent trajectory changed in December 2021, when Vox Media announced plans to acquire it. The transaction was completed on February 22, 2022. Group Nine was then folded into Vox Media, ending its existence as a standalone holding company. Its history illustrates the consolidation of digital publishing: a portfolio assembled from specialized brands, funded by strategic media investors, expanded through acquisition, and ultimately integrated into a larger digital-media group.
- 2022
Group Nine is folded into Vox Media
[1]Vox Media completes the acquisition on February 22, ending Group Nine's independent corporate operation.
- 2021
Vox Media announces acquisition plans
[1]Vox Media announces that it intends to acquire Group Nine.
- 2020
Group Nine creates a SPAC
[1]The company forms a special-purpose acquisition company to pursue a future business combination.
- 2019
PopSugar joins the portfolio
[1]Group Nine acquires PopSugar and raises additional funding led by Discovery with participation from Axel Springer.
- 2017
Discovery leads a new funding round
[1]Discovery leads a further $40 million investment round in Group Nine.
- 2016
Group Nine Media is established
[1]Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker merge to form Group Nine Media. Discovery Communications announces a $100 million minority investment.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand digital media portfolio focused on mobile-first publishing, social video, emotionally engaging storytelling, and advertiser-supported content.
Lifestyle and travel media
Thrillist
A digital lifestyle publisher covering food, travel, entertainment, and experiences. Thrillist was one of the principal brands combined into Group Nine and helped give the holding company a strong presence in consumer-oriented editorial and advertising.
Digital news video
NowThis
A publisher focused on short-form news and public-affairs video distributed through digital and social platforms. Its platform-native format represented Group Nine's emphasis on mobile viewing, rapid distribution, and highly shareable storytelling.
Animal and pet media
The Dodo
An animal-focused media brand known for emotionally engaging stories and video involving pets, wildlife, and animal welfare. The brand supplied Group Nine with a distinctive subject area and a format particularly suited to social sharing and online video.
Science and technology media
Seeker
A digital publisher and video brand focused on science, technology, exploration, and related educational subjects. Seeker broadened Group Nine's editorial range beyond lifestyle and news into explanatory and discovery-oriented programming.
Lifestyle media
PopSugar
A consumer lifestyle publisher covering areas including beauty, wellness, fashion, entertainment, and popular culture. Acquired in 2019, PopSugar expanded Group Nine's reach among lifestyle audiences and strengthened its portfolio of advertiser-supported editorial properties.
Brand decisions
2021
Agree to be acquired by Vox MediaM&ABackground
Group Nine pursued a path toward integration with a larger digital-media company.
Action taken
Vox Media announced its intention to acquire Group Nine in December 2021.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on February 22, 2022, and Group Nine ceased operating as an independent holding company.
2020
Create a special-purpose acquisition companyStrategyBackground
Digital-media companies were exploring public-market financing and consolidation opportunities.
Action taken
Group Nine formed a SPAC intended to pursue a future merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination.
Aftermath
Group Nine subsequently remained part of a private-company acquisition process and was folded into Vox Media in 2022.
2019
Acquire PopSugarM&ABackground
Group Nine sought to broaden its original portfolio of news, lifestyle, animal, and science brands.
Action taken
The company acquired PopSugar, adding a major lifestyle and consumer-publishing operation.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Group Nine's editorial scope and audience proposition before the company was later acquired by Vox Media.
Recent events
Wright's Media and Group Nine Media announce licensing partnership[2]
Reported:
Wright's Media announced a licensing partnership with Group Nine Media to bring editorial and accolade licensing to brands featured by Group Nine's editorial teams at POPSUGAR and Thrillist.
- Unconfirmed
Group Nine introduces Sparkle Ads[3]
Reported:
Group Nine introduced Sparkle Ads, an advertising product that brings the shoppable experience of Popsugar’s Sparkle pages into display ads. The product was to run first on Popsugar and then expand to other Group Nine brands in the first quarter.
Group Nine announces leadership changes following PopSugar acquisition[4]
Reported:
Group Nine announced a new leadership structure following its acquisition of PopSugar. PopSugar cofounder and CEO Brian Sugar will become Group Nine president, while several other PopSugar and Group Nine executives will take on new or expanded roles.
- Unconfirmed
Group Nine Media acquires PopSugar[5]
Reported:
PopSugar was acquired by Group Nine Media. The terms were not disclosed.
Sources7 sources
- 1Group Nine Mediaen.wikipedia.org
- 2Wright's Media与Group Nine Media宣布许可合作prnewswire.com
- 3Group Nine 推出 Sparkle Ads 广告产品thedrum.com
- 4Group Nine宣布收购PopSugar后的领导层调整tubefilter.com
- 5Group Nine Media 收购 PopSugardeadline.com
- 6Group Nine Acquires PopSugar In All-Stock Deal That Will Boost Its Reach To Half The U.S. Population - Tubefiltertubefilter.com
- 7Group Nine launches 'Sparkle Ads' test for ecommerce brands on the Sparkle platform | MarTechmartech.org
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