On Wednesday, Human Events announced that it has acquired right-wing outlet the Post Millennial. The acquisition brings some of the most notorious members of the far-right media landscape together under one digital roof.
Canada-based the Post Millennial has courted controversy in recent years with what many describe as its biased coverage and for employing far-right provocateur Andy Ngo. Human Events’ stable of writers includes Ngo’s ideological allies such as Jack Posobiec, Charlie Kirk, and others.
The conservative Human Events has been a polarizing political force over its nearly 80-year history. Originally founded as a print publication in 1944, it went digital-only in 2013.
Former President Ronald Reagan credited Human Events with dissuading him of his liberal views and reportedly considered it his “favorite reading for years.” Reagan’s staff disliked its influence over the president so much that they reportedly blocked its delivery to him, leading Reagan to order several copies delivered to the White House residence on weekends.
Human Events ceased print publication in 2013. In 2019, Raheem Kassam and Will Chamberlain bought the outlet in the hopes of resuming a more regular publication schedule. Kassam departed very shortly thereafter. A year later, Human Events appointed Jeff Webb as co-publisher and senior news editor to rebuild it as a daily platform.
Rumors of Human Events’ and the Post Millennial’s business relationship began circulating online last week.
Some believe that the merger is a reaction to the Post Millennial losing advertisers over its employment of extremist-linked Ngo and coverage that often villainizes leftist activists and causes.
According to a release announcing the acquisition, the two entities will remain separate, but will share “social media assets, digital ad platforms, and other administrative resources.”
Fans of the publications reacted to the news with jubilation. They believe that the relationship will greatly increase the reach and influence of both. Similar more mainstream publications have undergone mergers recently as well, such as BuzzFeed acquiring HuffPost, and Vox purchasing New York Magazine
Their detractors similarly believe that the duo is more powerful than the sum of its parts. They’re concerned that the merger will facilitate each’s efforts to pollute the information ecosystem. “Dangerous bedfellows,”@kate_ross_ wrote of the news.
Researchers said they are already looking into which ad placement companies are working with Human Events.
