Hard Lessons from the Sale of the Huffington Post

[Donnachaidh]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/robert-parry/34330/hard-lessons-from-the-sale-of-the-huffington-post

U.S. progressive media has had a tough few weeks. First, Keith Olbermann, the pioneer for liberal programming during MSNBC’s evening hours, was sent packing. Then, Arianna Huffington allowed AOL to subsume her Huffington Post into AOL’s right-of-center content for the price tag of $315 million.

Leftist bloggers who had provided free content to Huffington Post, enabling it to become a valuable property, found themselves quite literally sold out, with Huffington pocketing $18 million while making clear that she won’t battle for the liberal banner inside AOL.

Huffington joined with her new boss, AOL Chairman Tim Armstrong, to declare that their focus will be on how many eyeballs can be drawn to AOL, not in pushing progressive causes.

"Arianna has the same interest we do, which is serving consumers' needs and going beyond the just straight political needs of people," Armstrong said.

More at the link --

[ananda]

1. So basically...

... Huffington just used liberals to further her own ends.

Hmm.

I should add: isn't it time for liberals to take charge of their own voices?

[elehhhhna]

13. all that free content = buzillions for Arianna. she's always been a shark.

not surprising at all.

[CanSocDem]

2. I always thought she was in it for the $$$$$ (eom)

[RKP5637]

3. Yep, follow the money trail, seems she counts the $$$$ as a top priority. n/t

[lunatica]

4. Maybe she's just playing masterful chess

:sarcasm:

edited to add the sarcasm gif

[RKP5637]

5. Yep, seems to be a popular sport these days as many of us hold up the chess board

on our backs.

[wakemewhenitsover]

9. +1

Good one. Made me laugh; made me cry... :thumbsup:

[MineralMan]

6. Did you ever believe that Ariana Huffington was in this for

any other reason? Really? She is not an ideologue at all, but a clever opportunist. Now, she has taken that opportunity and parlayed it into $315 Million. If you trusted her, she fooled you. She was never a progressive. Never.

[SidDithers]

7. Anyone who thougth Huffinngton was a defender of liberal causes...

was a sucker from the beginning.

Sid

[Schmaltzy the Golem]

15. She was...

Ann Coulter before Ann Coulter was Ann Coulter.

[Exilednight]

8. Reminds me of a president I voted for. n/t

[polly7]

10. If she has no intention of continuing to promote progressive discussion,

could it be seen as a purchase to shut down that discussion? I don't know much about the dynamics of the deal, but basically, didn't AOL just rid the net of a popular progressive site? I guess maybe I'm not understanding what they got in return for all that money or their motives in buying it.

[RagAss]

11. Rich people would sell their mothers.

[madrchsod]

12. the problem is...there are just as many "liberals" as there are conservatives

so if aol/huffington want the same market share in the conservative side they`ll have a tough time.

[Schmaltzy the Golem]

14. Hard Lessons from the Sale of the Huffington Post

I am a refugee from the Huffington Post. After 3 years there,they didn't appreciate my questions regarding the AOL deal. Or was it my questions regarding the interview Ms. Huffington gave to Bill Maher Friday night,when she indicated her possible preference for a Republican Presidential candidate in 2012? Is she reverting back to the Arianna of the late 90's?