What does Defector Media do?

Defector Media is an employee-owned sports and culture website that launched in September 2020. Founded by former Deadspin staffers, it operates as a worker cooperative, prioritizing sustainable, subscriber-supported journalism. The site covers a wide range of topics, including sports, politics, TV, movies, science, labor issues, and social justice, while avoiding traditional media pitfalls like venture capital influence. The platform features a variety of content, including over 12,000 articles and blogs, as well as six podcasts, with *Normal Gossip* being particularly popular. Defector Media has a subscription-based business model, generating over $20 million in revenue in its first five years, primarily from its subscriber base of around 42,000. The cooperative structure allows for shared equity among employees, emphasizing quality journalism without heavy reliance on advertising.