The Verge: An Online Newspaper for Technology and Culture

What is The Verge?

The Verge is an online newspaper that covers topics related to technology, science, culture, and entertainment. It was founded in 2011 by a group of former editors and writers from Engadget, a popular tech blog owned by AOL. The Verge is part of Vox Media, a digital media company that also owns other websites such as Vox, Polygon, Eater, SB Nation, and Recode.

History of The Verge

The Verge was launched on November 1, 2011, after months of anticipation and teasing from its founders. The site was created by Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller, Joanna Stern, Ross Miller, Chris Ziegler, and Dieter Bohn, who had left Engadget earlier that year due to editorial conflicts with AOL. They were joined by other former Engadget staff such as Vlad Savov, Sean Hollister, Thomas Ricker, and Joseph L. Flatley.

The Original Mission

The Verge’s original mission statement was to “examine how technology will change life in the future for a massive mainstream audience.” The site aimed to provide in-depth reporting, analysis, reviews, and features on various aspects of technology and culture, such as gadgets, gaming, social media, entertainment, transportation, health, and more. The site also launched with a video arm called Verge Video, which produced original shows and documentaries.

High-Quality Journalism

The Verge quickly gained popularity and recognition for its high-quality journalism and design. In its first year, the site won several awards, such as the Webby Award for Best Writing (Editorial), the Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Consumer Electronics Site, and the Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Podcast for The Vergecast. The site also received nominations for the James Beard Foundation Award for Food Section and the Online News Association Award for General Excellence in Online Journalism.

2013 – Topics Expansion

In 2013, The Verge expanded its coverage to include more topics related to culture and entertainment, such as music, movies, TV shows, books, comics, and art. The site also launched new sections such as The Verge Forums (a community platform), This Is My Next (a product recommendation site), and Circuit Breaker (a gadget blog). The site also redesigned its logo and homepage to reflect its broader scope.

2016 – Redesign

In 2016, The Verge underwent another major redesign that introduced a new logo, typography, color scheme, layout, and navigation. The site also launched new features such as StoryStream (a live-updating feed of stories), Longform (a collection of long-form articles), TL;DR (a summary of the most important news), and Chorus (a content management system that powers all Vox Media sites).

2018 – Seventh Anniversary

In 2018, The Verge celebrated its seventh anniversary with a special issue called “Better Worlds”, which featured stories about how technology can create positive change in society. The issue also included a series of science fiction short stories and videos that explored optimistic visions of the future.

2020 – COVID-19

In 2020, The Verge faced some challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest following the killing of George Floyd. The site had to adapt to remote work and cover the impact of the pandemic on various industries and communities. The Verge also increased its coverage of social justice issues and diversity in tech and media. The site also launched new podcasts such as Decoder (an interview show with Nilay Patel) and Land of the Giants (a documentary series about big tech companies).

2021 – “The Next Decade”

In 2021, The Verge celebrated its tenth anniversary with a special issue called “The Next Decade”, which featured stories about how technology will shape the world in the 2020s. The issue also included a series of essays from prominent figures in tech and culture such as Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Elon Musk, and more.

Content at The Verge

The Verge produces a variety of content across different formats and platforms. Here is a summary of some of the main types of content that the site offers:

Format	Description
News	Breaking news stories about technology, science, culture, and entertainment
Reviews	Product reviews of gadgets, software, apps, games, movies, TV shows, books, and more
Features	In-depth articles that explore topics in detail or tell stories about people or phenomena related to technology or culture
Investigations	Investigative reports that expose wrongdoing or corruption in tech or media industries or reveal hidden truths or secrets about technology or culture
Opinion	Opinion pieces that express personal views or perspectives on issues or trends related to technology or culture
Podcasts	Audio shows that discuss or analyze topics related to technology or culture, such as The Vergecast, Decoder, Land of the Giants, Why’d You Push That Button, and more
Videos	Video shows that showcase or review products, interview guests, or tell stories related to technology or culture, such as Verge Science, Processor, Better Worlds, and more
Newsletters	Email newsletters that deliver curated news or recommendations related to technology or culture, such as The Verge Guidebook, Future Perfect, The Interface, and more
Events	Live events that feature panels, interviews, demos, or performances related to technology or culture, such as The Verge Awards, The Verge Live, and more

Staff

The Verge is led by a team of editors and managers who oversee the editorial direction and operations of the site. Here are some of the key staff members of The Verge:

Name	Role
Nilay Patel	Editor-in-chief
Helen Havlak	Vice president
Dieter Bohn	Executive editor
TC Sottek	Managing editor
Dan Seifert	Deputy editor
Ashley Carman	Senior editor
Chaim Gartenberg	News editor
Adi Robertson	Senior reporter
Casey Newton	Platformer editor
Liz Lopatto	Deputy editor
Natt Garun	Features editor
Andrew Webster	Games editor
Julia Alexander	Entertainment editor
Justine Calma	Climate reporter
Kim Lyons	Weekend editor

The Verge also has a large team of writers, reporters, reviewers, producers, hosts, designers, developers, and more who contribute to the site’s content and quality.

Audience

The Verge has a large and loyal audience of readers, listeners, viewers, and followers who are interested in technology and culture. According to Vox Media’s website, The Verge reaches over 50 million people every month across its site and platforms. The site also has over 10 million followers on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

The Verge’s audience is diverse in terms of age, gender, location, and interests. According to SimilarWeb, a web analytics service, The Verge’s audience is mostly from the United States (58%), followed by the United Kingdom (6%), Canada (4%), India (3%), and Australia (2%). The site’s audience is also mostly male (66%), with an average age of 25-34 (31%). The site’s audience is interested in topics such as computers and electronics, software, internet, games, and entertainment.

Impact

The Verge has had a significant impact on the fields of technology and culture. The site has broken many important stories, exposed many scandals, influenced many trends, and inspired many conversations. Here are some examples of the impact that The Verge has had over the years:

2012

In 2012, The Verge published an exclusive interview with Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, who revealed his thoughts on the iPhone 5, the state of innovation at Apple, and his relationship with Steve Jobs.

2013

In 2013, The Verge published an investigative report on PhoneDog, a mobile phone review site that sued its former employee for keeping his Twitter followers after he left the company. The report revealed how PhoneDog exploited its workers and manipulated its reviews.

2014

In 2014, The Verge published a feature story on Theranos, a biotech startup that claimed to revolutionize blood testing with a simple finger prick. The story raised doubts about the company’s claims and sparked a series of investigations that eventually exposed Theranos as a massive fraud.

2015

In 2015, The Verge published an exclusive interview with Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked classified documents about mass surveillance. The interview covered topics such as encryption, privacy, democracy, and activism.

2016

In 2016, The Verge published a feature story on Magic Leap, a secretive augmented reality startup that raised billions of dollars from investors. The story revealed how Magic Leap hyped up its technology and misled its partners and customers.

2017

In 2017, The Verge published an investigative report on Juicero, a startup that sold a $400 juicer that squeezed packets of juice that could be squeezed by hand. The report exposed how Juicero wasted millions of dollars and deceived its investors and customers.

2018

In 2018, The Verge published a feature story on Facebook’s content moderation system that showed how the company struggled to deal with the massive scale and complexity of moderating billions of posts every day. The story also highlighted the psychological toll that moderation took on the workers who had to review disturbing and violent content.

2019

In 2019, The Verge published an investigative report on Away, a luggage startup that cultivated a positive brand image but had a toxic work culture. The report revealed how Away’s CEO micromanaged and mistreated her employees and enforced a no-email policy that forced them to use Slack for all communication.

2020

In 2020, The Verge published a feature story on Quibi, a short-form video streaming service that launched with a lot of hype but failed to attract viewers and advertisers. The story explored how Quibi’s founders misjudged the market and the audience and made several strategic and creative mistakes.

2021

In 2021, The Verge published an exclusive interview with Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, who discussed topics such as privacy, antitrust, innovation, and the future of Apple. The interview marked Cook’s tenth anniversary as Apple’s leader and coincided with the launch of the iPhone 14.

The Verge – Awards

The Verge has also received many accolades and awards for its journalism and design. Some of the notable awards that the site has won or been nominated for include:

Webby Awards: Best Writing (Editorial), Best Consumer Electronics Site, Best Podcast, Best Technology Site, Best Video Channel
Online Journalism Awards: General Excellence in Online Journalism, Excellence in Immersive Storytelling, Feature Writing
National Magazine Awards: General Excellence in Digital Media, Website
Society of Publication Designers: Magazine of the Year (Digital), Gold Medal for Website Design
Peabody Awards: Nomination for Better Worlds
Shorty Awards: Best in Technology, Best Podcast
Digiday Awards: Best Use of Technology by a Publisher

Conclusion

The Verge is one of the most influential and respected online newspapers in the world. It covers a wide range of topics related to technology and culture with depth, rigor, and flair. It has a large and diverse audience that engages with its content across various formats and platforms. The Verge has a talented and passionate team of staff members who produce high-quality journalism and design. It has a significant impact on the fields of technology and culture with its stories, investigations, features, opinions, podcasts, videos, newsletters, events, and more. The Verge has also received many accolades and awards for its work.

The Verge is not just a newspaper; it is a destination for anyone who wants to understand how technology makes us feel.

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About The Verge – The Verge