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b5media Merges With About Weblogs and What Could Have Been
Written by Scrivs on November 7, 2005
Today b5media announced that they were going to merge About Weblogs under the b5 banner. Congratulations to Jeremy, Duncan, Darren and Shai for making the move which should make things a little bit more interesting in the blog network space. I guess I can now speak of what could have been between About Weblogs and 9rules.
In the early Summer we approached Shai with a proposition. We asked if she would be willing to place her network under our’s and all we asked for was 10% of the total revenue that her network generated and in return we would design new templates for her sites. So Shai and her writers received 90% of the revenue that their sites generated, access to the private forums, inclusion in the 9rules Network directory (and upcoming portal) and brand new design done by the Business Logs team. And since we are an independent network they would retain all of the content they produce. Seemed like a pretty good deal to us and I guess that’s why we made it.
Unfortunately, she turned us down because she felt the money situation would’ve been too complicated since her writers control the advertising on their sites. Wonder how it will work out now merging with another network that has a different revenue model and content ownership plan. Oh well, best of luck with the new venture Shai.
November 7th, 2005 at 10:50 am
your deal sounds a lot better than b5media’s (from what I know) … I can’t explain why she didn’t partner with you guys either…
the only advantage with b5 is that Shai gets an equity stake…
..which would mean she is looking out for her own interests over her bloggers..
unless Shai can comment on something different…
November 7th, 2005 at 11:45 am
Well Shai did write about why she didn’t do it a couple of weeks ago and I emailed her again to see if she wanted to do some type of partnership, but she didn’t reply. I thought the offer we put on the table would only strengthen both sides, but obviously I was wrong.
November 7th, 2005 at 12:53 pm
I wonder why she didn’t want to go with 9rules… seems strange to me to want to give up content rights for an equity stake in a blog network…
I postulate about this a little more if you care to read about it Scrivs:
http://www.gabbr.com/thread.php?id=19
November 7th, 2005 at 12:58 pm
Well as I mentioned she just saw too many complications with revenue split and what not, but even after she posted her last entry with hints that we spoke with her I emailed her again and mentioned that we were still open to things. I guess I just have an uglier face than Darren, Jeremy and Duncan.
*sigh*
November 7th, 2005 at 3:25 pm
DrDel, to be fair the content ownership issues are being changed, as is noted in our announcement post.
We saw Shai’s post, saw an oppportunity and, after talking with her, realized there was a good personality match.
Sorry if it seems like we swooped her out from under you Scrivs
November 7th, 2005 at 3:27 pm
Also, as a note, this was voted on by Shai’s bloggers. This wasn’t a “Shai-only” decision, nor was it one she could have made purely out of personal ambition
November 7th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
Scrivs: Thanks for sharing this. Unfortunately, your second email came through when I was already in negotiation phase with Jeremy, Darren and Duncan. I wanted to email you back but it didn’t seem right because discussions were already underway and I know that it wouldn’t come out right.
Anyway, I turned down the first offer because there were too many complications at the time. When I emailed you back, I remember asking if we can revisit the possibility another time, but I didn’t hear back from you so I thought that you were no longer interested.
The 3 guys were very ardent in pursuing us as a network — to the point that they were willing to revisit their existing contract and policies to accommodate us.
We put it in to a vote, and my bloggers just thought that the whole thing was a good deal. So, I said yes.
Nothing to do with looks, I can assure you.
What I told you before remains true ’til now: I admire you and the work you’re doing both at 9Rules and at Fine Fools.
November 7th, 2005 at 5:21 pm
DrDel: From the get-go, I’ve always asked my bloggers about their thoughts and opinions about how I run the network. You can ask them, if you like. After all, isn’t better to find out the truth rather than come up with speculations without the right foundation? But then, that obviously isn’t your style.
I will not further defend myself to you because I don’t know you and you don’t know me. And, accusing someone of something so negative publicly without seeking out the right answers first — like you have done — is just plain unethical. And, I just haven’t got the time or the energy to devote to such things.
November 7th, 2005 at 5:32 pm
Jeremy: Thanks, mate.
November 7th, 2005 at 6:51 pm
Although it might not seem like it at the time, things usually work out the way they should.
November 8th, 2005 at 8:10 am
Shai,
I emailed you twice and filled out a form on one of your blogs over the past two days.
As I have publicly stated I am still waiting for you to respond.
I apologize if my speculation irritated you — isn’t that what the blogosphere is about? writing about opinion (which is based on the facts as your currently see them)? What would journalists in the Real World do if they couldn’t speculate (I am not saying any one of us are journalists)?
I understand what it can mean to be on your side of the speculation. I have been there myself.
If you care to answer my emails please do.
Good luck on your merger.. b5media will be a force to reckon with…
DrDel
November 9th, 2005 at 8:14 am
DrDel: I’ve sent you an email response to your request. And, no, I’m afraid that the blogosphere isn’t about mere speculations and opinions. Facts are facts — not as “you currently see them.” People can’t alter facts, they just think they can.
Reality is — It would’ve been better if you approached me first before you posted a lot of inaccurate things on your own blog and in this forum. In the world of emails, Skype, IMs, and Google - it’s so much easier to get your facts straight so people can respect what you have to say. Otherwise, you gain the reputation of being unreliable. You don’t really want that, do you? I know I don’t.
Again, thanks for your interest and support in the merger.
December 24th, 2005 at 6:49 pm
Yeah, I don’t really understand the new parts either. Just seems like a place to recruit people to blog for you guys. What makes this “a new kind of Blogging Networkâ€
I am not trying to be a party pooper, just trying to fully understand.
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:35 am
[...] omments about a guy named Scrivs who owns the 9rules blog network. There’s a bit of history between Scrivs, About Weblogs, and b5media (to [...]
January 3rd, 2006 at 7:35 am
[...] omments about a guy named Scrivs who owns the 9rules blog network. There’s a bit of history between Scrivs, About Weblogs, and b5media (to [...]
January 27th, 2008 at 5:41 am
[...] I’m a bit late in sharing the news in my personal blog, as this has been announced at b5media about 2 days ago. And, I made the announcement over at About Weblogs shortly after. I also wrote about some background/behind-the-scenes stuff at AW, especially in connection with 9rules. [...]