Justin Sun’s team urged Bullish to remove an article on his $6.2M banana artwork stunt.
CoinDesk pulled the article, sparking internal staff debate over editorial independence.
The article remains available on Yahoo News but absent from CoinDesk’s platform.
Justin Sun’s team asked Bullish, the parent company of CoinDesk, to take down an article that covered Sun eating Maurizio Cattelan’s $6.2 million banana artwork. The article titled “I Watched Justin Sun Eat the World’s Most Expensive Banana. I Don’t Get It,” published in late November, covered the event, its artistic value, and Sun’s legal issues with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Sun’s Team Complains
As Fortune reported on Thursday, Sun’s representatives complained about the tone of the article. The matter was reported to Bullish, a crypto exchange that acquired CoinDesk in November 2023 for $75 million. CT research also indicated that the article is not as easily accessible online as it used to be. Still, it was visible on Yahoo News up to the last modification on December 2nd.
The article’s removal sparked some debate within CoinDesk’s editorial staff. Sources said that the employees voiced their displeasure with the decision and proposed reinstating it with an editor’s note during last week’s meeting. Nevertheless, the article is still not available on CoinDesk’s platform.
Crypto and Media Ties
Matt Murray, Chair of CoinDesk’s Editorial Committee, submitted his resignation on 16th December. Murray, the previous editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, has not explained his decision to take such a step. Bullish CEO Tom Farley, CoinDesk Editor-in-Chief Kevin Reynolds, and a Justin Sun spokesperson have also not addressed the matter.
This shows the connection between crypto and media firms, particularly after Bullish acquired CoinDesk. It has raised concerns on the part of the influential and ownership of the media organization. This has particularly been seen after CoinDesk pulled down the article in question.
CoinDesk is one of the most well-known media platforms in the cryptocurrency industry. Recent cases reveal its problem distinguishing between editorial freedom and its relation to the corporate entity.
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