The Onion News Videos

The Onion is a fake news organization that seeks to parody local, national, international and entertainment news, with satirical articles. It consists of a newspaper, web site and series of news videos.

So skilled is it, with its straight-faced delivery, that often times, it's articles are picked-up and cited by mainstream media, unaware that the Onion news article, is in fact, phony! An example of this occurred in June 2002, when Reuters News Service reported that the Beijing Evening News had picked-up and used an Onion News article, concerning the U.S. Congress demanding a new capital building, with a retractable roof and threatening to move to Memphis Tennesse or Charlotte North Carolina, if they didn't get it. This article was in fact a parody of U.S. Sports Franchises, who consistently demand new facilities, with threats of geographic moves.

The Onion began as a student newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1988. It was produced by two students, Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson, who eventually sold it to friends and went on to successful careers with other alternative papers. Although the Onion still makes many references to the Madison Wisconsin area, it was moved to New York City, NY in 2001 after breaking through to a national audience and after considering a possible buyout by the Comedy Central Cable Network.

Initially, the Onion's popularity centered around U.S. University centers such as Madison, WI, Chicago, Ill, Champaign-Urbana, Ill and Boulder, CO. In 1996, it launched it's website, which allowed it to break-through to a much larger audience. In April 2007, it launched its Onion News Network, a web video with a 24 hour send-up of TV news. The Onion launched its first movie (direct to DVD), "The Onion Movie", on June 3, 2008 after a 3 year delay and changes in producer.

The Onion's printed edition is distributed free in Madison (WI), Milwaukee, Chicago, New York City, Minneapolis-St Paul, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver/Boulder, Austin TX and Washington D.C. It is sold in bookstores worldwide, including the U.K. and is available by mail through paid subscription.

The Onion's printed and online editions include many regular columns by both real and fictional writers and includes a full range of sections including news, sports, horoscopes etc.

Finally,the Onion has been in a dispute with U.S. President George Bush since 2005, over use of the presidential seal, which it used in a series of on-line parodies of the weekly Bush radio address. No resolution has been reached as of this date.

A very thorough history and review of the Onion can be found in Wikipedia. That is, both the real and fake history of the Onion (you have to be very careful with these guys!)

Definitions according to Wikipedia:

Parody definition:

A parody, in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, or author, by means of humorous or satiric imitation. Parodies are colloquially referred to as spoofs or lampoons.

Parody. (2008, June 20). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:20, June 24, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parody&oldid=220622669

Satire definition:

Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although, in practice, it is also found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improvement.[1] Although satire is usually meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor in itself so much as an attack on something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit.

A very common, almost defining feature of satire is its strong vein of irony or sarcasm, but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. The essential point, however, is that "in satire, irony is militant"[2]. This "militant irony" (or sarcasm) often professes to approve the very things the satirist actually wishes to attack.

Satire. (2008, June 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:23, June 24, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Satire&oldid=220148788

*The Onion is actually a parody of a modern news service, which puts a satirical spin on the news.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr)

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