One of the most popular news blogs The Huffington Post has been sold to AOL for $315M. This has created a firestorm on the internet, with people vowing to never read the site again. I am always embarrassed by people who have this view that if you try to make money you are a "sellout". Like fans of a band that becomes successful, & is able to sign with a major label, meaning better recording equipment, & the ability to get more people listening to them.
Now in the case of the Huffington Post, it was already very popular. But why should an infusion of cash destroy it? Mind you, AOL has issues. the Time Warner deal is considered a major disaster. Making fun of people using AOL for internet access has always been good for a laugh. But why should this deal anger HuffPost readers so much?
Because like those "indie rock" fans, some people want to believe that HuffPost is theirs, & if an "outsider" buys in, it will become just another news site. Actually some of the responses stupidly suggested it would become Fox. Really? The Comcast/NBC deal could go that way, but that's because MSNBC was never a cable power. HuffPost IS an internet sensation, & why mess with it?
Now in the case of the Huffington Post, it was already very popular. But why should an infusion of cash destroy it? Mind you, AOL has issues. the Time Warner deal is considered a major disaster. Making fun of people using AOL for internet access has always been good for a laugh. But why should this deal anger HuffPost readers so much?
Because like those "indie rock" fans, some people want to believe that HuffPost is theirs, & if an "outsider" buys in, it will become just another news site. Actually some of the responses stupidly suggested it would become Fox. Really? The Comcast/NBC deal could go that way, but that's because MSNBC was never a cable power. HuffPost IS an internet sensation, & why mess with it?
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