Comments on: HuffPo’s future http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/02/07/huffpos-future/ A slice of lime in the soda Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:53:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: hsvkitty http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/02/07/huffpos-future/comment-page-1/#comment-23798 hsvkitty Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:51:33 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/?p=7197#comment-23798 I am curious whether it will still be as interesting, diverse and rebellious, or it will become more corporate and edited mainstream. After all, isn't a new take on news what attracted people to read there? As attractive as it is monetarily to the parties, i think the readers see oil and water. I'm getting old, but even I envision it changing into white haired, straight backed talking heads spewing same ole same ole. And, being my popup blocker didn't work this morning and I got 3 popups, the site was slow, and the pop ups wouldn't x out until the 3rd click, I am outta there. (That's an AOL dejavu!) I am curious whether it will still be as interesting, diverse and rebellious, or it will become more corporate and edited mainstream. After all, isn’t a new take on news what attracted people to read there?

As attractive as it is monetarily to the parties, i think the readers see oil and water. I’m getting old, but even I envision it changing into white haired, straight backed talking heads spewing same ole same ole.

And, being my popup blocker didn’t work this morning and I got 3 popups, the site was slow, and the pop ups wouldn’t x out until the 3rd click, I am outta there. (That’s an AOL dejavu!)

]]> By: RudyHaugeneder http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/02/07/huffpos-future/comment-page-1/#comment-23797 RudyHaugeneder Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:38:50 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/?p=7197#comment-23797 Another media merger. Each time it happens journalism suffers and the owners earn big profits -- well over $300 million to a tiny group of HP people in this AOL deal, making Arianna very, very wealthy on the backs of 6,000 bloggers (freelance writers) who work for free. Is this good for journalism and the so-called free press? Personally, I doubt it. Will the new media group itself fall to the merger hammer, as you suggest. Rupert Murdoch is probably considering if it's a corporate fit. Another media merger. Each time it happens journalism suffers and the owners earn big profits — well over $300 million to a tiny group of HP people in this AOL deal, making Arianna very, very wealthy on the backs of 6,000 bloggers (freelance writers) who work for free.
Is this good for journalism and the so-called free press? Personally, I doubt it.
Will the new media group itself fall to the merger hammer, as you suggest. Rupert Murdoch is probably considering if it’s a corporate fit.

]]> By: y2kurtus http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/02/07/huffpos-future/comment-page-1/#comment-23795 y2kurtus Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:37:21 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/?p=7197#comment-23795 "10X its 2010 revenues and is roughly 5X estimated forward 2011 revenues. Those are all big numbers, but not insanely so" ah... yes they are. To pay 5x rev for an asset light personality based business is batshit crazy Felix. Just ask the people who owned Martha Stewarts company, or the owners Sirius who were so happy to sign Howard Stern that the stock is bumping along at a whopping buck eighty, (down from $60 at the peak of the teck bubble.) While the price AOL agreed to is simply indefensable I do understand why they spent some of thier cash on a a company which is at least profitable... always a good idea for people on a sinking ship to buy lifevests irraguardless of the price. I hope Arianna is getting most of her bounty in clean crisp cash and not AOL stock. “10X its 2010 revenues and is roughly 5X estimated forward 2011 revenues. Those are all big numbers, but not insanely so”

ah… yes they are. To pay 5x rev for an asset light personality based business is batshit crazy Felix. Just ask the people who owned Martha Stewarts company, or the owners Sirius who were so happy to sign Howard Stern that the stock is bumping along at a whopping buck eighty, (down from $60 at the peak of the teck bubble.)

While the price AOL agreed to is simply indefensable I do understand why they spent some of thier cash on a a company which is at least profitable… always a good idea for people on a sinking ship to buy lifevests irraguardless of the price.

I hope Arianna is getting most of her bounty in clean crisp cash and not AOL stock.

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