Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before: CNET Could Be Next To Get Bought
from the broken-clocks-and-broken-records dept
Following Google's purchase of DoubleClick, there's been a lot of talk about further deals in the internet advertising space. So far, Yahoo has made a purchase, while Microsoft is said to be interested, but has yet to bite. While all of the speculation has driven up shares of online advertising firms, it's also been good for investment banks, which love to see this kind of activity, whether it's in their clients' best interest or not. So now analysts are coming out with all kinds of recommendations, as banks look to keep the internet M&A momentum alive. Although it has nothing to do with online advertising, an analyst at Banc of America is tossing out the idea that CNET could be the next to be acquired at a healthy premium, if one were to use the same valuation metrics as the DoubleClick deal. Of course, the line that CNET is about to be acquired is one of the longest-running rumors there is, despite the fact that no company has publicly shown any interest in buying it. Also, to make a comparison between it and DoubleClick on a valuation basis is simply sloppy, relativistic reasoning. Along with yesterday's (nonsensical) rumor that Google could be a Dow Jones suitor, it's become acceptable to throw out out any combination of companies (particularly if one is Google or Yahoo) and argue for a tie-up, even if it doesn't make much sense.
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When it comes to internet companies I think pretty much anything is on the table.
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If and when CNET is actually acquired, all of us will probably be in denial and think that it's still some sort of rumor.
Brandon Watts
Criteo Evangelist
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Well what do you expect?
Along with yesterday's (nonsensical) rumor that Google could be a Dow Jones suitor, it's become acceptable to throw out out any combination of companies (particularly if one is Google or Yahoo) and argue for a tie-up, even if it doesn't make much sense.
When your livleyhood is based on specualtion, rumor, and guessing what do you expect from them?
I personally don't see CNET being bought anytime soon. And frankly if it was bought by one of the large companies (MS, Google, Apple....) then I think a lot of it's (at least to me) neutral appeal would be lost. Imagine what kind of scores the future generations of iPods would get if the site was owned by Apple.
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Advertising war
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honestly
Next thing you know we'll be hearing rumors of Google buying Microsoft.
If that were the case would Google's "do no evil" business method be retroactivly applied to MS or would the "evil incarnate" corrupt google?
food for thought.
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