The New AOL or shall I say Aol. coming tomorrow!

Interesting article from CNNMoney
The new AOL faces a tough fight
The former dial-up giant is being split off from Time Warner in its latest attempt at a comeback. This time, it may work.
By David Goldman, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Last Updated: December 9, 2009: 9:56 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — AOL begins a new chapter Thursday, a day [...]

Could Microsoft Exit the Media Business?

Interesting story from Adage.com via themediaminute.com
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Microsoft is, without a doubt, a giant in the world of online advertising, but lately it’s been about assembling the platforms that power advertising — both display and search — rather than building the media properties that attract eyeballs in the first place.
Which begs the question: [...]

Warren Buffett: The Cartoon?

I was intrigued when I read this story about a new cartoon for kids with Warren Buffett teaching kids about money. I only wish this was available when I was a kid!
FROM TheDeal.com
What do dealmaker Warren Buffett, lifestyle media magnate Martha Stewart, supermodel Gisele Bündchen and late astronomer Carl Sagan have in common? Aside from [...]

AOL: 11 Years of Failure?

Interesting article from today’s New York Times
July 24, 2009, 11:42 am
Eleven Years of Ambition and Failure at AOL
By Saul Hansell
I’ve been writing profiles of AOL executives for nearly half of the company’s 24-year life. And for all but one heady 18-month period, they were on the defensive. AOL, they said, had the technology, content and [...]

Time Warner to split off AOL

from CNNMoney
Time Warner CEO Bewkes calls separation ‘best outcome’ for both companies.
By Aaron Smith, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Last Updated: May 28, 2009: 5:02 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Time Warner unveiled plans Thursday to spin off AOL as an independent company, an end to the massive media marriage formed in January 2001.
“We believe that a separation [...]

AOL is Hiring…believe it or not

from Silicon Alley Insider via NYConvergence
New York’s MediaGlow on a Hiring Spree
MediaGlow, the New York based content producing arm of AOL continues to be the news lately as it ramps up its hiring efforts for it Web sites, particular for journalists/writers. As it already produces more than 70 Web sites, the company hopes to [...]

AOL TO CUT 700 JOBS

from AdWeek.com
NEW YORK Time Warner’s AOL unit is laying off 700 staffers, or about 10 percent of its workforce, as the Internet division narrows its focus on three core areas and tries to weather the recession, which has also hit online advertising.
In addition, AOL is forgoing merit pay increases this year, curbing discretionary spending and [...]

Competitor to Google?

Interesting article by Kara Swisher in “D: All Things Digital” via I Want Media
It wasn’t just Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer meeting in New York last week.
According to several sources close to the situation, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes rounded out the trio of chit-chatting execs, presumably gathered to discuss possible [...]

We Support the Robin Hood Foundation

For our annual holiday gift Sobel Media has again made a donation to The Robin Hood Foundation in honor of our friend Robert W. Pittman. Bob is the chairman of the Robin Hood Foundation, the “founding father” of MTV, former CEO of AOL and currently managing partner of the Pilot Group.

“Bob, since the first [...]

Its Official: Parsons Out/Bewkes in at Time Warner

From MediaWeek
Time Warner Names Bewkes Chairman
The terms of Bewkes’ contract with Time Warner include a base salary of $2 million upon his election as chairman and an annual discretionary cash bonus with a target amount of $8.5 million
Dec 11, 2008
-By Anthony Crupi
Time Warner on Thursday named Jeffrey Bewkes chairman, and in so doing, the company [...]