Infowars Ceases Operations Amid Bankruptcy

Infowars, the long-running online platform founded by Alex Jones, ceased operations from its Austin, Texas, studio late last week after a court-appointed receiver halted payments for rent and utilities. The site now displays only the message "Off Air," marking the end of broadcasts under its original ownership amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings tied to nearly $1.5 billion in defamation judgments awarded to families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.

The shutdown followed a series of legal maneuvers surrounding a proposed licensing deal between Infowars parent company Free Speech Systems and an affiliate of satirical publisher The Onion. Under the agreement, announced last month, The Onion would pay $81,000 monthly for six months to use Infowars trademarks, domains, and intellectual property. Proceeds would support operations and ultimately benefit the Sandy Hook families, who won the judgments after Jones repeatedly claimed the shooting, which killed 20 children and six adults, was staged.

A Texas state appeals court issued an emergency order late Wednesday, temporarily blocking the asset transfer at Jones's request and pausing a related appeal of the...