RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Of course, both news and satire are well within the First Amendment. But still, putting together Univision, the Spanish-language network, and The Onion - that's right, the satirical news site that describes itself as the single most powerful and influential organization in human history is joining Univision. NPR is reporting this morning that the parent company of Univision has acquired controlling ownership of The Onion. NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik joins us now from New York City. Good morning.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Good morning, Renee.
MONTAGNE: So, David, what's the Onion headline in this? I mean, what's the logic?
FOLKENFLIK: The logic behind this for Univision's standpoint is that it's - you know, it is reliant and very popular among Spanish-speaking Latinos in this country, but that English-speaking Latinos are a growing force in the country and that they are seeking to build an English-language presence, particularly digitally, and to build a more multicultural future. And they'd identified humor as a key way to do this. This comes after Univision launch Fusion a few years ago, which has not been a huge runaway success in ratings but nonetheless has made something of an impact in which they've got a huge digital presence. They last year bought The Root, a leading site for African Americans in politics and culture. And this is another way in which they hope to appeal to a younger, a millennial and a multicultural sensibility. Univision thinks it's got to bet the future on a slightly different definition than in the past.
MONTAGNE: And The Onion - why would it sell itself at this point in time?
FOLKENFLIK: Well, The Onion has had sort of a big pop-culture impact, and yet a bit of a rocky ownership history. It last acknowledged it had been - put itself up for sale back in 2014. There had been wrenching changes after it moved to Chicago. But this may offer some stability. It certainly allows its lead investor, David Schafer, a chance to cash out much or all of his stake. Univision gets about 40 percent in controlling share, as you said. And it may afford it some stability and some runway to figure out the kinds of changes that have affected all those news sites its been satirizing. After all, it's not immune from it. The Onion itself had to go to a digital-only operation not so long ago.
MONTAGNE: Well, just briefly, could this deal possibly kill what makes The Onion special - this big corporation?
FOLKENFLIK: Always a fear when a major conglomerate or major media outfit takes over an niche and strongly-defined publication. My understanding is the folks at Univision are allowing or will be allowing The Onion to stay in Chicago - won't be pulling it down to Miami to fold it into its other properties - and that the hope is more that The Onion will rub off on the Univision holdings - such assets as Fusion, the English-language cable channel and digital properties - more than having Univision dictate how The Onion will operate.
MONTAGNE: All right, well thanks very much.
FOLKENFLIK: You bet.
MONTAGNE: NPR's David Folkenflik.