The Onion’s latest proposal to transform Infowars into a satirical conspiracy website is awaiting court approval, the latest turn in a long-running legal battle tied to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
A court-appointed administrator overseeing Infowars asked a judge in a Travis County District Court on Monday to approve a licensing agreement that would allow The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, to operate the site. The Onion hopes to remake Infowars into a comedy-focused platform that satirizes conspiracy culture.
Comedian Tim Heidecker has been tapped as creative director and said the project would initially parody Jones’s style before evolving into a broader hub for experimental comedy. The deal calls for monthly payments of $81,000 over an initial six-month term, with an option to extend for another six months.
The agreement negotiated between The Onion and the administrator will not take effect unless approved by a judge. Jones, who continues to operate Infowars and host his weekday broadcast, could also appeal, leaving the site’s future uncertain for now.
The dispute stems from massive defamation judgments against Jones for repeated false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax. Families of victims sued in Texas and Connecticut, winning judgments totaling more than $1 billion.
Jones later filed for bankruptcy, triggering efforts to liquidate assets tied to Infowars to help satisfy those debts.
A prior attempt to sell Infowars through a sealed-bid auction drew competing offers from The Onion’s parent company and a firm linked to Jones. Although the trustee and families initially favored The Onion’s bid, a bankruptcy judge rejected the process as insufficiently transparent and directed the matter to state court.
Attorneys representing Sandy Hook families said their priority is limiting Jones’s ability to spread falsehoods. They view the licensing plan – which would generate $486,000 over its initial term – as a potential way to reduce his platform’s reach while generating some revenue for victims.
A ruling on the agreement is expected within weeks.
