Salon, one of the early internet's most influential websites that featured sharp voices and political and cultural journalism backed by a liberal sensibility, announced Thursday it would shut down after 31 years of publication. “It has been an extraordinary privilege,” the outlet said in a farewell note.

The announcement, seen as a surprise, cited the fact that “the business realities of independent digital journalism have changed profoundly over the years.” It did not immediately indicate what would become of its employees, though some reported they had lost their jobs.

“Over three decades, Salon has brought together politics, culture, criticism and ideas in a way that was distinctly our own,” the unsigned farewell note said. “Our journalism examined power and politics, questioned assumptions, surfaced stories that deserved attention and made room for perspectives that were too often overlooked.…