Wednesday, February 13th 2008
Yahoo Buys Video Service Maven Networks for $160 Million USD
Whilst Microsoft is in the middle of what The Inquirer calls a "hostile takeover" of Yahoo, Yahoo decided to buy a company of their own. Maven Networks recently accepted a $160 million offer to be bought out by Yahoo. It is very likely that this move was to increase the value of Yahoo. It should be noted that Yahoo was in talks with Maven long before the whole Microsoft-buying-Yahoo debacle. As part of the acquisition, Yahoo gets some fine deals with CBS Sports, Gannett, News Corp, Hearst and Sony Pictures. Yahoo will not lay off any of Maven's 70 employees, despite laying off nearly 1,000 of their own. Another large benefit to Yahoo acquiring Maven will be the sudden boost of places where Yahoo can shove their advertisements, further increasing revenue. Whether or not this is enough to fend off the "hostile takeover", we'll have to wait and see.
Source:
The Inquirer
3 Comments on Yahoo Buys Video Service Maven Networks for $160 Million USD
I get the feeling Yahoo! just shot themselves in the foot. I'm sure the shareholders aren't happy, either.
Yahoo execs sat on their asses for years collecting all that advertising revenue until they realized Google, MSN, and other European and Asian alternatives were slowly devouring their piece of the pie.
Interestingly enough, Google is on the same path as Yahoo. I have no doubt same will happen to Google in few years or so