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The Onion is moving closer to taking control of Infowars.com, signaling a rare, court-mediated attempt to repurpose—rather than erase—a major disinformation brand. Its parent, Global Tetrahedron, has proposed licensing the Infowars site and related IP from the court-appointed manager for $81,000 per month over an initial six-month term, pending approval from the Texas judge overseeing the bankruptcy. Alex Jones could still appeal and retains control until the court rules. Plans include turning the platform into a parody and experimental comedy hub, with Tim Heidecker named creative director, raising fresh questions about liability, moderation, and brand rehabilitation.
The Onion has struck a conditional licensing deal to operate Infowars.com as a parody, filing with a Texas court to license the Infowars name and web address from court-appointed manager Gregory Milligan. Under the proposal, The Onion’s parent Global Tetrahedron would pay $81,000 per month for six months, with an option to extend another six months. The agreement awaits approval by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble and could be appealed by Alex Jones, who still runs Infowars and hosts his show. The move follows prior bankruptcy-sale attempts tied to Jones’s defamation judgments from Sandy Hook lawsuits and would repurpose a controversial platform into satirical content. It matters because it involves platform control, intellectual property, and legal oversight of contentious online media.
The Onion says it has reached a deal to take over Alex Jones’ Infowars and intends to relaunch the site as a parody of itself, according to a post linking to the story on Reddit’s r/technology. The reported transaction would shift control of the Infowars brand from Jones to the satirical publisher best known for spoof news, with plans to repurpose the platform’s identity rather than continue its prior programming. If completed, the move would be notable for how a legacy satire outlet uses acquisition to reshape a high-profile misinformation-associated media property and potentially alter its audience and distribution footprint. The provided material contains only the headline and a link preview image, with no additional deal terms, dates, or financial details.
The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, has agreed to license Infowars.com and related IP from court-appointed manager Gregory Milligan, proposing to pay $81,000 per month for an initial six-month term (with an option to renew). The deal still requires approval from Texas Judge Maya Guerra Gamble overseeing the bankruptcy disposition; Alex Jones could appeal, and Infowars remains under Jones’s control until the court rules, likely within two weeks. If approved, the move would let The Onion repurpose or control a high-profile extremist platform, raising questions about content management, liability, and how satire intersects with formerly inflammatory media properties. The outcome matters for platform liability, brand management, and precedent in handling controversial sites through legal channels.
A judge-approved transfer of Infowars' assets to a new owner appears imminent after courts ruled in a high-profile defamation case; comedian Tim Heidecker has been named creative director and plans to parody and ultimately repurpose the site as a hub for independent and experimental comedy. The move follows legal judgments against Alex Jones and the Infowars brand, and could see the controversial platform transformed rather than simply shuttered. This matters because it changes control of a major disinformation outlet, raising questions about liability, content moderation, brand rehabilitation, and precedent for repurposing platforms tied to harmful speech.