Salon Ceases Publication After 31 Years as Online Magazine

An early digital magazine signs off

November 5, 2026 · 10:38 p.m. Central / 11:38 p.m. Eastern

Salon is ceasing publication after 31 years, bringing an end to one of the early online magazines that helped shape digital journalism.

In a farewell note published Thursday, the outlet said changes in the business of independent digital journalism had made its publishing model unsustainable. It thanked the journalists, contributors and readers who supported it since its launch in November 1995.

A Salon spokesperson told The Associated Press that 19 full-time employees and a handful of contractors were affected. The announcement did not specify severance arrangements.

What happens to the archive

Salon told AP it had no immediate plans to take down its online archives. That leaves three decades of work accessible for now, though the outlet did not announce a long-term preservation plan.

The decision ends new publication, not necessarily immediate access to existing articles. Readers should not assume the archive will remain available indefinitely without a further announcement.

A publication built for the web

Salon began in November 1995, when online publishing was still taking shape. Its journalism brought together politics, culture, criticism and commentary, and developed a liberal editorial sensibility, AP reported.

David Talbot, the founding editor, described the early publication as an effort to create something with a distinct voice for readers looking beyond conventional media, according to AP. Writers associated with Salon over the years included Jake Tapper and Glenn Greenwald, the news agency reported.

In its statement, Salon attributed the decision to its own business model and broad changes in digital journalism. It did not provide a detailed financial breakdown; the statement alone does not establish a single cause for the closure.

From launch to farewell

Dates are Eastern time where applicable.

1. November 1995 Salon launched as an online publication, according to its farewell statement.
2. November 5, 2026 Salon announced that it was ceasing publication.
3. November 5, 2026 Salon told AP it had no immediate plans to remove its archive.

Salon’s announcement

Salon shared its farewell statement on its verified X account.

Read Salon’s announcement on X

Open the original post if the embed does not load.

Sources and visual credits

Salon farewell statement · Associated Press · Salon on X.

Hero and thumbnail: conceptual illustration, not a photograph of Salon’s offices or equipment.