Univision announced that Raju Narisetti has been named CEO for Gizmodo Media Group, essentially replacing Gawker founder Nick Denton as the head of the digital media conglomerate named for the now-defunct gossip media site Gawker.
Narisetti will be responsible for managing all business and editorial operations for what remains of the old Gawker, now called the Gizmodo Media Group, which includes Gizmodo, Jezebel, Deadspin, Kotaku, Jalopnik and Lifehacker.
“It is a privilege to be responsible for leading this unwaveringly energetic team of journalists and business staff,” Narisetti said in a statement. “As part of Univision, we will now be more ambitious in deepening, broadening and sensibly scaling the passionate digital communities that Gizmodo, Jezebel, Deadspin, Kotaku, Jalopnik and Lifehacker have attracted, by offering accurate, responsible, edgy and engaging journalism, as well as through relevant, related content and commerce.”
Univision won an auction last month to buy Gawker Media for $135 million and retained the digital media conglomerate’s other assets while shutting down operations for the namesake website, Gawker.com.
Denton’s Gawker Media went bankrupt last year after losing a $140 million lawsuit brought by Hulk Hogan over a sex tape published on the site, a lawsuit later revealed to have been funded by billionaire investor Peter Thiel.
Narisetti, who will be based at GMG headquarters in New York, will take over the company that Denton left behind. He will report to Univision chief news, digital and entertainment boss Isaac Lee and Fusion COO Felipe Holguin.
“Raju is a rare combination, someone who comes with a very strong background in journalism, became a leader in digital media on three continents, and went on to develop new businesses for a global company,” Lee said. “His commitment to journalistic integrity, his entrepreneurial spirit and proven ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced digital environment will help us strengthen and grow these newly acquired category-leading brands.”
Narisetti will formally join Gizmodo Media Group in late October.
Narisetti is currently an executive at News Corp, where has been responsible for acquisitions and global expansion, while also helping guide the digital growth of News Corp’s existing companies in the news, information, publishing, social video and digital real-estate portfolio.
Prior to that, Narisetti was Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network.
Narisetti also founded India’s Mint newspaper, which is now India’s second-largest business newspaper by circulation.