Vox Media

Vox Media, born in 2011 and bred on the digital frontier, was supposed to be the savior of online journalism—a sleek, data-driven disruptor with an insatiable appetite for venture capital. Helmed by Jim Bankoff, it’s the brainchild behind Vox, The Verge, and a clutch of other niche sites that promised to reinvent media. But for all its flashy graphics and explainers, Vox Media became the poster child for the “pivot to video” debacle and newsroom layoffs. Now, as it scrambles to stay relevant in a crowded market, it’s a reminder that even the brightest digital darlings can fade faster than a viral tweet.