Sex, Lies and Classifieds: The Fall of Backpage

Sex, Lies and Classifieds: The Fall of Backpage

Author: Charts & Leisure October 7, 2021 Duration: 49:30
Years before QAnon, myths and distortions about children being sold for sex fueled a politically-motivated moral panic in the name of protecting kids, yet largely targeting sex workers, not sex traffickers. This episode of RIP Corp is about Backpage — the classified advertising website founded in 2004 — and the path that led to its dramatic closure in 2018. The fall of Backpage led to a turning point in the coverage of sex work and criminal justice while also foreshadowing future media flashpoints.

Ever wonder what really happens when a giant company stumbles or a once-beloved brand simply vanishes? RIP Corp digs into the fascinating, often surprising stories behind these collapses. Each episode focuses on a single failed business, peeling back the layers to reveal not just what went wrong, but why it mattered. Hosted by Ingrid Burrington, this podcast from Charts & Leisure is more than a post-mortem; it’s a deep dive into the cultural and historical footprints these enterprises leave behind. You’ll hear about flawed strategies, shifting markets, and the human decisions that led to each demise, all set against a rich backdrop of original music and sound design. Think of it as walking through a curated archive of ambition and its limits, where every story offers a lesson about the world we built. The production, led by Meghal Janardan and Mike Rugnetta, ensures these narratives are as engaging as they are informative. For anyone curious about the intersections of history, business, and society, this podcast provides a compelling, thoughtful listen. It’s about understanding failure not as an end, but as a complex chapter in our collective story. Tune in to explore the quiet, and sometimes noisy, corners of the dead mall of business history.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 22

RIP Corp
Podcast Episodes
Welcome to RIP Corp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15
On each episode of RIP Corp, we going to tell the story of one failed business, or a business failure. Join us in the dead mall of business history.