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posted by takyon on Tuesday May 12 2015, @10:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the that's-a-lot-of-coasters dept.

Verizon has announced that it will be acquiring AOL for $4.4 billion. Those of us that remember AOL from the dial-up days when all noobs used it might wonder what it possibly has worth that kind of cash today. Lowell McAdam, Verizon chairman and CEO, said:

"AOL has once again become a digital trailblazer, and we are excited at the prospect of charting a new course together in the digitally connected world. At Verizon, we've been strategically investing in emerging technology, including Verizon Digital Media Services and OTT, that taps into the market shift to digital content and advertising. AOL's advertising model aligns with this approach, and the advertising platform provides a key tool for us to develop future revenue streams."

A NPR blog has an excerpt from a paywalled WSJ article which further explains:

"Verizon has said it plans to launch a video service focused on mobile devices this summer. The company has offered few details, but last month Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said the service will offer a mix of paid, free and ad-supported content and won't try to replicate traditional TV.

"The service will feature shorter snippets rather than 30 or 60 minute shows. It also could include multicast programming—a sort of broadcast service that uses cellular airwaves—for delivering live content like sports and concerts, along with on-demand viewing."

NPR also notes:

Many people probably still associate AOL as one of their first Internet service providers. But more than two decades later, AOL is more of a media company: It owns The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, MapQuest and Moviefone. According to the company, it is the fourth largest online property in the U.S. with 200 million monthly visitors to its sites.

What does SN think? Can this deal possibly be worth it?

 
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  • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 12 2015, @11:16PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 12 2015, @11:16PM (#182143)

    It's really getting to be a pain in the ass having to change to -1 all the time just to see good comments that have been downvoted for no reason.

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  • (Score: 2, Offtopic) by aristarchus on Tuesday May 12 2015, @11:40PM

    by aristarchus (2645) on Tuesday May 12 2015, @11:40PM (#182161) Journal

    It's really getting to be a pain in the ass having to change to -1 all the time just to see good comments that have been downvoted for no reason.

    No, this:

    It's really getting to be a pain in the ass having to change to -1 all the time just to see hide good stupid off-topic comments that have been downupvoted for no reason.

    There, FTFY!

    Now you see how your whining about being an idiot in the minority has totally succeeded in derailing (only temporarily, we assure you) any discussion of a pertinent corporate move that may have significant repercussions for the tech industry? This is standard protocol for manipulating on-line discussion of actual issues. Hmm, could Verizon be that evil? Hire ACs to red-herring Soylent News?

    • (Score: 2) by t-3 on Wednesday May 13 2015, @12:49AM

      by t-3 (4907) on Wednesday May 13 2015, @12:49AM (#182185)

      No, I think this is MikeeeUSA throwing a fit because nobody else wants to fuck kids.

  • (Score: 4, Informative) by Tork on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:20AM

    by Tork (3914) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:20AM (#182196)
    Then log in, ya big baby. You can set the default view.
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    🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by janrinok on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:40AM

    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:40AM (#182275) Journal

    You're trolling well today. But, to answer your question. 1. If you log in you can set the threshold to whatever level you want - you would not have to keep changing it. It's a 'pain in the ass' because you have chosen to do it that way. 2. Childish posts such as yours - including all the replies to your own posts that you think nobody has recognised - are marked down because they contribute absolutely nothing to the discussion. They are not 'downvoted for no reason' - it's the price you pay for wasting the time of the other community members.