Observer Media
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Jared Kushner |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Key people | Joseph Meyer (Chairman and Publisher), James R. Freiman (CEO) |
| Products | Observer, Commercial Observer, The New York Observer (print edition discontinued 2016) |
| Owner | Joseph Meyer via Observer Capital |
| Website | observer |
Observer Media is a United States-based online media company that was established through a series of acquisitions, notably including the 2007 acquisition of The New York Observer. The company’s headquarters are located in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was originally founded by entrepreneur Jared Kushner, who maintained ownership until 2016 before transferring control to a family trust. Following this transition, his brother-in-law Joseph Meyer took over as publisher and chairman in 2017. The firm's holdings encompass Commercial Observer and Observer, with the latter consolidating multiple digital outlets such as The Gallerist, BetaBeat, NY Politicker, and PolitickerNJ. In November 2016, Observer Media discontinued the print edition of the New York Observer to concentrate exclusively on digital media.
History
Starting in 2007, Jared Kushner initiated the acquisition and integration of various print and digital media properties under the Observer brand. This included titles like The New York Observer, BetaBeat, Gallerist, NY Politicker, SCENE Magazine, and PolitickerNJ. Over time, these assets were merged into observer.com, with Gallerist joining in 2014, followed by the incorporation of PolitickerNY, BetaBeat, and PolitickerNJ through 2016.
Observer Media broadened its scope in March 2012 by launching The Commercial Observer, a publication focused on commercial real estate. This outlet has received several accolades within the industry, including honors from NAREE for Real Estate Journalism, as well as awards recognizing team reporting and excellence in weekly newspaper publication. The Commercial Observer operates both a digital website at commercialobserver.com and a weekly printed edition.
At present, Joseph Meyer holds ownership of the company via his investment firm Observer Capital and fulfills the positions of chairman and publisher. Jared Kushner no longer retains any ownership stake or management responsibilities.
In November 2022, James R. Freiman was named CEO of Observer Media, succeeding Michael Rose, who had served as CEO since October 2019. Prior to his tenure at Observer Media, Rose led Everyday Health’s subsidiary What to Expect.
Format
The online platform of Observer is organized into three principal sections: Business, Arts & Entertainment. Since November 2016, Observer Media has ceased publishing its print newspaper, The New York Observer. The Commercial Observer’s digital site features categories including Leases, Finance, Sales, Design & Construction, Technology, Markets, and Events.
Controversy
In April 2016, then editor-in-chief Ken Kurson attracted criticism for advising Donald Trump during his speech at the annual AIPAC conference. Additionally, in 2014, the Observer faced scrutiny following an investigative report concerning former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. In July 2016, staff writer Dana Schwartz issued an open letter directed at publisher Jared Kushner, expressing criticism of his involvement in Trump’s presidential campaign. Kushner responded publicly to defend his participation. Both pieces received notable attention across traditional media outlets and social media platforms.