The once prominent "alt-right" website Breitbart.com is facing plummeting readership numbers despite former CEO Steve Bannon working in the White House.
Now the pro-Trump internet and "alt-right" are turning on Breitbart, according to a new BuzzFeed News report.
The latest disaster to befall the website happened after two Breitbart writers expressed anti-Muslim bigotry following the weekend terrorist attacks in London that killed seven.
When Breitbart News fired Katie McHugh for her bigotry, the alt-right turned on the conservative website.
"Across the pro-Trump internet, McHugh's firing was widely decried as a sign of weakness by Breitbart and an attempt by the site — once led by now-Senior White House Advisor Stephen Bannon — to pivot toward a more moderate editorial strategy," BuzzFeed reported. "In pro-Trump circles, that perceived pivot may prove to be enough to turn away devoted readers."
Breitbart's problem attracting readers is having a predictable result with advertisers. According to BuzzFeed, "Digiday reported that ad tracking platform MediaRadar found just '26 brands appearing on Breitbart in May, down from a high of 242 in March.'"
Some believe the website's fortunes changed when Breitbart News refused to defend pedophilia.
"Multiple conversations with pro-Trump media personalities suggest the resignation of Breitbart Tech Editor Milo Yiannoplous in February after the discovery of video of him allegedly endorsing pedophilia was a turning point for the site," BuzzFeed conveyed. "For some in the pro-Trump media, it was a sign that the publication's management was caving to the pressure from the mainstream media."
