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In 2024, The Village Voice, LA Weekly and Riverfront Times carried large numbers of OnlyFans-focused listicles alongside editorial material. The posts appeared to have AI-like writing, but reporting did not establish that they were AI-generated—or that staff cuts caused their appearance. The public record left open who commissioned or managed the work and whether it was intended to earn traffic, advertising revenue or payments from promoted accounts.
What did The Village Voice, LA Weekly and Riverfront Times publish?
In a July 31, 2024 report, Futurism said The Village Voice and LA Weekly had added OnlyFans categories containing hundreds of listicles about performers. The pieces appeared alongside editorial content and, according to the report, did not disclose that they were AI-generated or advertising. WIRED’s Spanish-language edition, published the following day, described similar material on Riverfront Times. It said the writing showed signs of AI, while noting that some pieces could have been written by human freelancers.
The three sites are documented as examples of the same kind of content, not as proof of a shared publisher, production process or coordinated campaign. The reporting did not establish how the articles were produced.
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Were the articles written by AI?
That was not confirmed. A style that seems machine-generated is not proof of AI authorship, and WIRED left open the possibility that some articles were written by human freelancers. Some posts carried the name Daniela LaFave; Riverfront Times also used the byline “RFT staff.” WIRED reported that LaFave confirmed she was the person whose name appeared on the bylines but declined to say whether she used AI. That does not establish that she wrote every article or that AI was used.
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Futurism quoted R.C. Baker, described in its report as The Village Voice’s only remaining editorial staffer, saying: “I handle only news and cultural reporting out of New York City. I have nothing to do with OnlyFans. That content is handled by a separate team that is based, I believe, in LA.” Then-LA Weekly editor-in-chief Darrick Rainey told Futurism: “We weren’t happy about it at all, and we were absolutely not involved in putting it up.” Those statements describe what the two journalists said about their own involvement; they do not identify who commissioned or managed the work.
Did layoffs lead to the listicles?
WIRED reported that LA Weekly dismissed or offered buyouts to most of its staff in March 2024. Riverfront Times dismissed its entire staff in May after the publication was sold. Those events preceded the reporting on the OnlyFans articles, but chronology alone does not show that the cuts caused the posts or that they directly replaced newsroom work with AI.
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For The Village Voice, Futurism described Baker as the only remaining editorial staffer and reported his account that the material was handled by a separate team. The available coverage does not establish a direct link between that staffing situation and who produced the listicles.
Who was behind the content, and how was it monetized?
WIRED said it was unclear whether one or several initiatives produced the posts, or how the effort was coordinated. The publications may have been seeking web traffic and advertising revenue; another possibility was that they accepted money from promoted accounts or their representatives. The reporting did not verify either explanation. Links to creator accounts, by themselves, do not prove who paid for the articles or why they were published.
WIRED reported that OnlyFans spokesperson Brixie said, in an English rendering of the Spanish-language edition: “OnlyFans has no financial agreements with these outlets.” The Street Media owner did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment. Former Riverfront Times owner Chris Keating said a confidentiality agreement prevented him from naming the buyer. The reporting therefore did not resolve who financed or directed the work.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is established—and what remains unknown?
- Established: The Village Voice and LA Weekly carried OnlyFans-focused listicles, and WIRED reported similar content at Riverfront Times. The material appeared alongside journalistic content.
- Not established: Whether the articles were written by AI, who commissioned or managed them, and whether their purpose was traffic, advertising or paid promotion.
- Separately reported: Staff cuts at LA Weekly and Riverfront Times earlier in 2024. The coverage does not prove those cuts caused the listicles.
- Time frame: These are accounts of a 2024 episode, not evidence of the publications’ current staffing, ownership or website content.
Sources: Frank Landymore, Futurism, July 31, 2024; Kate Knibbs, WIRED en Español, August 1, 2024.
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