Around the Net
TechCrunch: We're Not For Sale!
- TechCunch, Thursday, May 10, 2012 12:24 PM
Despite reports to the contrary, TechCrunch says it’s not being sold by parent company AOL. “Instead, we’ve just hired a bunch of brilliant writers and a new COO,” writes Alexia Tsotsis and Eric Eldon in a co-authored post -- and referring to the recent appointment of veteran media exec Ned Desmond. Among other measures of health, Tsotsis and Eldon point to “a resurgence of community support,” and a traffic increase “with regards to unique visits year over year,” while they promise to be “working on getting our pageviews up to pre-awful redesign levels.”
Regarding the sale rumors, meanwhile, TechCrunch says they stem from a never-executed idea by AOL execs to turn its tech properties -- including TechCrunch and Engadget -- into a separate entity, which they would have valued at around $200 million. On Wednesday, PandoDaily.com reported that AOL was trying to sell TechCrunch and Engadget, along with some smaller assets like TUAW and Joystiq, for between $70 million to $100 million. Along with a link to Pando’s report, Tsotsis and Eldon scolded: “It’s actually amazing how much bullshit information/spin is out there (so be careful what you believe).”
