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GigaOM Acquires paidContent From Guardian

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:22:07 +0000

Back in November I wrote about how Guardian Media Group was attempting to sell off paidContent. paidContent is a tech blog that is run by a company called contentNext. Guardian Media Group acquired contentNext in July 2008 for approximately $30 million including earn-outs. It was rumored that contentNext did not meet the earn-out requirements for the full price and Guardian did not know how to efficiently manage the brand. Today GigaOM has announced that they have acquired paidContent and the other contentNext properties for an undisclosed sum.

Tech blog network GigaOM has over $14 million in funding so they have the money to spend on acquisitions and talent. Currently GigaOM makes money from advertising, which they use for paying their writers. A representative from Guardian Media Group will be joining GigaOM on the board of directors as an observer as a result of the deal.

GigaOM founder Om Malik said that he acquired paidContent because the editorial team at the company Rafat Ali and Staci Kramer were two of his favorite writers in the early days of professional blogging. Rafat Ali is currently on the board of advisers at GigaOM, but he is focusing on other projects and is not involved in the day-to-day at contentNext. Staci will be joining GigaOM though.

Malik also said that contentNext will help GigaOM bolster their presence in New York and help increase their footprint in Europe. Guardian News & Media is becoming a shareholder in GigaOM as a result of the acquisition as well.

Guardian Media Group Selling Off paidContent

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:34:25 +0000

United Kingdom based Guardian Media Group is selling off ContentNext, a New York based technology media news blog network that was acquired three years ago. ContentNext was founded by Rafat Ali and is best known as being the parent company of the paidContent.org technology blog. Guardian hired boutique bank Coady Diemar Partners to help them sell off ContentNext.

It is believed that Guardian is looking to sell for between $15 and $20 million for ContentNext. Guardian has been debating the spin-off over the past year or so. Guardian is currently pushing for cost-cutting initiatives while also attempting to increase their reach in the United States. Former Bank of America executive Alan Hudson was hired by the Guardian to oversee the company’s investment portfolio.

“Following a strategic review Guardian News & Media has decided to seek a buyer for ContentNext Media. ContentNext is a high-quality asset but our focus in the US is on building the Guardian. It’s early days but we have received several expressions of interest and are talking to a select number of potential buyers,” said Guardian in an e-mail response to AllThingsD.

[AllThingsD]

Congratulations to PaidContent On The $30 Million+ Acquisition

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:11:40 +0000

You know what keeps bloggers like me writing? Seeing other blogging companies succeed. Rafat Ali of paidContent writes like a madman everyday to give us the news that we like to read. And today his efforts have payed off. Guardian Media has acquired his company, ContentNext for over $30 million.

Through the acquisition, Guardian Media will have ownership of the following websites:
1.) paidContent.org
2.) mocoNews.net
3.) contentSutra.com
4.) paidContent.co.uk

The acquisition will be an earn-out assuming that the websites maintain certain performance.

paidContent started in 2002 and they have offices in Santa Monica, Calif. and Manhattan. Greycroft Partners invested an undisclosed amount in paidContent in 2006. ContentNext is known for hosting several conferences.

ContentNext Media will operate independently under Guardian News & Media.

“I have admired paidContent for years. Rafat and his team personify the values of editorial independence and integrity that are core to the Guardian. I’m very happy to welcome the company into the expanding Guardian Media Group,” stated Carolyn McCall, CEO of Guardian Media Group.

Related Links:
1. Official announcement on paidContent
2. AllThingsD
3. Mashable
4. TechCrunch