Zoobos » media

Waiting for a Facebook I.P.O.? Keep Waiting

Zubosky Jeff — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:52:23 +0000

For anyone chomping at the bit to get their hands on a piece of a public Facebook, the wait may have grown a little longer.

Grace Digital Audio debuts Solo Wi-Fi Internet radio tuner

Zubosky Jeff — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:42:02 +0000

Grace Digital Audio has introduced the highly-portable Solo Wi-Fi Receiver, which has the ability to turn almost any stereo and/or speaker system into an Internet radio set-up.

Wired Kids, Negligent Parents?

Zubosky Jeff — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:02:03 +0000

The good, the bad and the ugly effects of media access on children.

MySpace Said to Be in Talks to Buy Imeem

Zubosky Jeff — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:07:05 +0000

MySpace, the social networking platform, is in talks to acquire the struggling free music-streaming site imeem, according to press reports.

AOL Names Board for Post-Spinoff World

Zubosky Jeff — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

AOL, which is being spun off by Time Warner, said Monday that it had named eight members to its board, including Michael K. Powell, the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and the longtime venture capitalist William R. Hambrecht.

Yahoo New CEO Is Scoring Points (At least With Me…)

Zubosky Jeff — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:31:16 +0000

Yesterday , Carol Bartz said social network sites are a key area of interest for the Internet media company, even as it tries to figure out how to boost its Web search business. This is not much, but significant when you compare with Jerry Yang approach.

Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Bartz suggested Yahoo might seek to partner with social networking companies rather than build its own products in this area.

“I do not believe we can invent the next Facebook,” Bartz said.

“It is very clear we have to do that,” she said in response to a question about her thoughts on the tremendous growth of social networks like privately held Facebook and Twitter.

Bartz repeated her philosophy that every business in Yahoo is up for examination as the company seeks to revive growth and better compete with Google Inc.

While she opened the door to negotiations with Microsoft Corp about a search partnership, she stressed the importance of search data to Yahoo’s advertising customers.

If Yahoo and Microsoft decided to talk about a search deal, “We’re going to negotiate as companies negotiate, privately.” Bartz said.

The comments come a week after Bartz unveiled a major management reorganization. Investors are waiting to see if the new CEO can restart deal talks with Microsoft.

Last year, Microsoft made an unsuccessful bid to acquire Yahoo for $47.5 billion or $33 per share. The software company has said it is no longer interested in buying all of Yahoo but remains open to a search deal.

Bartz flagged Yahoo’s Web-based email product, as well as its news and front-door businesses as “core” Yahoo properties. She also said the company needs to be “running very tight fiscally.”

The CEO indicated that Yahoo is considering various strategies to strengthen its position in important markets, including mergers and acquisitions. She said the company could pursue acquisitions or partnerships to grow its footprint in Europe.

Sirius creditors threaten to oust CEO

Zubosky Jeff — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:28:46 +0000

A group of Sirius XM Radio Inc creditors will seek to remove Chief Executive Mel Karmazin if the company chooses a bankruptcy filing over a deal with an investor that would let it stay solvent, the Wall Street Journal said.

“Creditors will act quickly and definitively if they perceive that management is (not) acting … in the best interest of the estate,” the paper quoted Edward Weisfelner, a partner with Brown Rudnick LLP – the law firm representing the creditor group – as saying.

The satellite radio company said in response that its management is “continually working to ensure the best possible outcome for the enterprise,” the Journal reported on its website on Sunday, adding that a final decision on Sirius’ future is expected on Monday.

Liberty Media Corp is in talks with Sirius to invest but not take it over, a source said on Friday, as Sirius tries to stave off a bid by EchoStar Corp.

The talks with Liberty are seen as a last-ditch attempt by Karmazin to hold off EchoStar, which holds $175 million in Sirius convertible bonds due on February 17.

Sirius said it had refinanced some debt that was due in December, but added that it still might have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection if talks toward refinancing other debt did not yield results by Tuesday.