LibGuides: Satirical News in Traditional Media and Online: List of Satirical News Sites

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This page provides link to many satirical news sites. This is a valuable page to consult if you are unsure if a story you are looking at online is real or if you are interested at looking at these sites to learn more about them. Of course, maybe it is final weeks and you just need a good laugh to break the stress: these sites are good for that, too!

Satire in the United States

The Onion
We know it. We love it. It still manages to fool a few people on occasion. If anything, it has changed how people approach news items as it is typical to see the comment, "I though this was an Onion article until..." The FAQ (frequently asked questions), which has a link at the bottom of every page, lets readers in on the joke.
Sports Pickle
Satirical news meets Sport Illustrated. The site itself never comes clean about its comical intentions, but the answer is discoverable through a Google search and on other watch dog sites confirm that this is an entertainment site. People who seriously follow sports can probably figure this out on their own.
ClickHole
Originally launched by The Onion in 2014 and later acquired by the company that makes Cards Against Humanity, ClickHole satirizes websites that create "clickbait," such as Buzzfeed. Notably, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper was fooled by an article published by the website in 2015.
Hard Drive
A satirical website with a bent towards video games, Hard Drive has been described by several websites as "the Onion of video games." During the 2020 presidential election, the website created a fictitious candidate named Ace Watkins, who was played by actor Phil Jamesson.
Reductress
Founded in 2013 by female comedians Beth Newell and Sarah Pappalardo, the Reductress satirizes traditional news media aimed at women.
Duffel Blog
Aimed directly at the American military, Duffel Blog has been described by various news outlets as the satirical military counterpart to The Onion. Notably, articles written in 2013 and 2017 have been misinterpreted as truth by Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell and Texas Representative Pat Fallon, respectively.

Satire Around the World

Not all satirical news sites are located in or are mainly about the United States. These are a few example of sites from around the world.

The Dail Squib
This United Kingdom site has an extraordinarily broad focus ranging from news, science, and sports stories from across the globe. Much of the material focuses on the UK and the USA. Located at the top and bottom of every page is the link "satire," which leads to this description of their central purpose that reads in part: "Satire is the last bastion of free speech, and when that is diminished, we will know that Western society as a whole has taken a turn for the worse."
NewsBiscuit
This satirical news site hails from the United Kingdom, which is the focus of much of its material. The about and disclaimer links never come out and say that this is a satire site; however, the title information that appears in your browser's tab and in a Google search declare it a site for "UK News Satire, Parody, and Spoof News".
The Shovel
This satirical news site from Australia does not take itself or much of anything else seriously. The focus seems to be mostly domestic, though there are several international stories. The 'about' link located at the top and the bottom of the page leads to this explanation: "The Shovel is Australia’s satire news website. That means the stories on this site are made up. Yep, even the one about Vladimir Putin marrying himself."
The Beaverton
Founded by two Canadian university students in 2010 and based in Canada, The Beaverton creates satirical news stories based on their home country and the wider world. Many of the outlet's stories have been misinterpreted as being true, including a May 2013 story which stated that astronaut Chris Hadfield would need to pay millions of dollars in cellphone roaming fees following his return to Earth.
Waterford Whispers News
Founded in 2009 and based in Ireland, Waterford Whispers News has been hailed as Ireland's version of The Onion. Many of it's articles have gained traction internationally, including a 2014 article that suggested that North Korea put a man on the Sun. News outlets in countries such as the United States, India, and China would later report on the clearly satirical news article.
Der Postillon
Founded in 2008 and based in Germany, Der Postillon has positioned itself as the German equivalent to The Onion. Several satirical articles have been picked up by other news outlets as truth, including one published in 2014 that suggested that a German landlord offered shots for every goal that the German football team made during the Brazil v Germany match. Subsequently, several Russian news outlets, including the Russia-24 TV channel, reported on the story as if it was actually true.

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