{{Short description|American online media company, founded 2007}} {{Distinguish|Observer Media Group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox company | name = Observer Media | logo = Observer Group logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | motto = | industry = Online and print media | format = | founder = Jared Kushner | key_people = {{ubl|Joseph Meyer (Chairman & Publisher)|James R. Freiman (Chief Executive Officer)}} | founded = {{start date and age|2007}} | ceased publication = | relaunched = | location = Manhattan, New York City, US | circulation_date = | circulation_ref = | readership = | sister newspapers = | ISSN = | oclc = | website = {{Official URL}} | free = }}
'''Observer Media''' is an American online media company.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Education of a Publisher |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/fashion/11jared.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Jared Kushner Names Brother-in-Law New York Observer CEO|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/jared-kushner-names-brother-in-law-observer-ceo.html |magazine=New York |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=How Jared Kushner Became Donald Trump's Mini-Me|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/07/jared-kushner-donald-trump-mini-me |magazine=Vanity Fair |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> The company was formed through several acquisitions, including acquisition of ''The New York Observer'' in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jared Kushner's Trump Card|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-jared-kushner-trump-card/ |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Jared Kushner's Second Act|url=http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a47697/jared-kushner-trump-campaign/ |magazine=Esquire |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Who Is Ivanka Trump's Husband? Jared Kushner Is A Success In His Own Right|url=https://www.romper.com/p/who-is-ivanka-trumps-husband-jared-kushner-is-a-success-in-his-own-right-7831 |publisher=Romper |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Observer Media is based in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and was owned by businessman Jared Kushner until 2016, when he transferred his ownership into a family trust, through which his brother-in-law Joseph Meyer took over his former role as publisher and chairman in 2017.<ref name="Stoeffel_Meyer">{{cite news|last1=Stoeffel|first1=Kat|title=What Should Happen to Jared Kushner's New York Observer? Media Pros Offer Advice|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/what-should-happen-jared-kushners-new-york-observer-media-pros-offer-advice-992505|work=The Hollywood Reporter|agency=Hollywood Reporter|date=12 April 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Linkedin|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-meyer-979b751/}}</ref> It currently publishes the ''Commercial Observer'' and ''Observer''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jared Kushner|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/jared-kushner/|work=Huffington Post |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Observer Media Group Launches New Real Estate Site: LivingThere.com|url=http://observer.com/2012/04/livingthere-living-there-observer-media-group-04202012/|newspaper=The Observer |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> As of November 2016, Observer Media announced it would no longer print the ''New York Observer''. The ''Observer'' site is a consolidation of several notable online properties, including ''The Gallerist'', ''BetaBeat'', ''NY Politicker'', and ''PolitickerNJ''.<ref>{{cite news|title=A New 'Observer'|url=https://www.politico.com/media/story/2015/02/a-new-observer-003510/|publisher=Politico |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The New York Observer Lost Its Pink Paper Today|url=http://animalnewyork.com/2014/new-york-observer-loses-pink-paper-today/|publisher=Animal New York |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref>
==History==
In 2007, Jared Kushner began acquiring and merging several print and online media publications into the Observer brand, including ''The New York Observer'', ''BetaBeat'', ''Gallerist'', ''NY Politicker'', ''SCENE Magazine'', and ''PolitickerNJ''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Developer Jared Kushner Sells Puck Building Penthouse for $28 Million |url=http://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/19905-developer-jared-kushner-sells-puck-building-penthouse-for-28-million|publisher=Mansion Global |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A Brief History of the 'New York Observer' as Reported by the 'Times' |url=https://theawl.com/a-brief-history-of-the-new-york-observer-as-reported-by-the-times-159947d4395f |publisher=The Awl |access-date=October 12, 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> These acquisitions became integrated into the website observer.com (''Gallerist'' was integrated in September 2014, ''PolitickerNY'' in March 2014, ''BetaBeat'' in January 2015, and ''PolitickerNJ'' in August 2016).<ref>{{cite news|title=Web site's 'bris' cartoon offends politicians, ADL|url=http://njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/041708/njWebSitesBrisCartoon.html|publisher=NJ Jewish News|access-date=October 12, 2016|archive-date=February 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204205320/http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/041708/njWebSitesBrisCartoon.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In March 2012, Observer Media launched ''The Commercial Observer'', a commercial real estate publication.<ref>{{cite news|title=New York Observer Starts a Paper on Real Estate|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/business/media/24observer.html|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> The organization has since received various awards, including "NAREE's 65th Annual Real Estate Journalism" award,<ref>{{cite news |title=NAREE's 65th Annual Real Estate Journalism Award Winners |url=http://www.naree.org/index.php?src=news&srctype=detail&category=Association+Headlines&refno=162 |publisher=Naree |access-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012232603/http://www.naree.org/index.php?src=news&srctype=detail&category=Association%20Headlines&refno=162 |url-status=dead }}</ref> "Best Team Report Silver" award (2013),<ref>{{cite news|title=Real Estate's Best News Outlets: Reporters from Bloomberg, Inman News, HomeSource, The New York Times, Virginian Pilot, AJC Win Big at NAREE |url=http://skylineviews.rocks/2015/06/pilotnews-inmannews-nytimes-business-ajc-win-big-at-naree15-awards.html|publisher=SkyLine Views |access-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629012914/http://skylineviews.rocks/2015/06/pilotnews-inmannews-nytimes-business-ajc-win-big-at-naree15-awards.html |archive-date=29 June 2015 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> and "Best Weekly Newspaper Report Silver" award (2014).<ref>{{cite news |title=7th annual Pulse Healthcare Conference: Facilities of the Future |url=http://nyeventslist.com/events/-nov-2016-1460593196 |publisher=New York EventsList |access-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-date=October 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013002002/http://nyeventslist.com/events/-nov-2016-1460593196 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''The Commercial Observer'' publishes at commercialobserver.com, and also publishes weekly print edition.
Joseph Meyer now owns the company through his investment firm Observer Capital, and serves as chairman and publisher. Jared Kushner has no ownership stake in and has no role in the company.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}
James R. Freiman was named CEO of Observer Media in November 2022. Previously, Michael Rose, the former president of What to Expect, a subsidiary of Everyday Health, was named CEO of Observer Media on October 9, 2019.{{cn|date=December 2023}}
==Format==
The Observer online site includes four main content categories: Business, Art, Lifestyle & Culture. Observer Media discontinued a print edition called ''The New York Observer'' in November 2016. The Commercial Observer online site includes sections such as Leases, Finance, Sales, Design & Construction, Technology, Markets and Events.
==Controversy==
In April 2016, former editor-in-chief Ken Kurson was criticized for providing "input" to Donald Trump in a speech given at the annual AIPAC conference.<ref>{{cite news|title=New York Observer Editor Doesn't Regret Involvement With Donald Trump's AIPAC Speech |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ken-kurson-jared-kushner-donald-trump_us_57017526e4b083f5c607f7f7|work=Huffington Post |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> The ''Observer'' was also criticized in 2014 for an investigative piece on former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.<ref>{{cite news|title=A New York Observer Article Brings a Spat in Trump's Orbit |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/business/media/a-new-york-observer-article-brings-a-spat-in-trumps-orbit.html|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> In July 2016, ''Observer'' staff journalist Dana Schwartz published an open letter to her boss Jared Kushner criticizing him for his involvement in Trump's (Kushner's father-in-law) presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=An Open Letter to Jared Kushner, From One of Your Jewish Employees |url= http://observer.com/2016/07/an-open-letter-to-jared-kushner-from-one-of-your-jewish-employees/|newspaper=The Observer |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, Kushner responded to the letter defending his contributions to Trump's presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jared Kushner: The Donald Trump I Know |url= http://observer.com/2016/07/jared-kushner-the-donald-trump-i-know/|newspaper=The Observer |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Both articles were widely circulated in social media, and attracted attention from various media outlets.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=A Conversation with Dana Schwartz, Who Just Called Out Her Trump-Supporting Boss |url= http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a46512/dana-schwartz-jared-kushner/|magazine=Esquire |access-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website}}
Category:2007 establishments in New York City Category:American companies established in 2007 Category:Mass media companies established in 2007 Category:Newspapers published in New York City Category:Newspapers established in 2007 Category:Mass media companies based in New York City Category:Mass media in New Jersey Category:Business career of Jared Kushner