iQon

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    • Mon Mar 3rd 16:39 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Time Warner's New CEO Makes His First Cuts
      Time Warner Inc., one of my favorite companies on the planet. I wonder what Steven Ross-R.I.P!, Gerald Levin, Henry Luce(Time Magazine)R.I.P would think of the company today.

      TimeWarner Inc., has so much potential; however, it is all being lost with all of this schuffling around of executives.

      1. AOL-AOL is loosing so much money and market share by not taking advantage and taking the lead role in the online digital revolution. Broadband usage is on the rise emensely, yet AOL lags behind MSN, Yahoo/AT&T, Verizon,..etc, and most or many of the phone and cable companies. AOL should be transformed into a real time computer store front; servicing, real time customers with the actual use of real time computer usage. AOL does not see its full maximum utility, and AOL is not utilizing it full maximum utility to be the power house online service provider it can be. AOL can be a dynamic company generating enormous amounts of free cash flows; AOL can literally lift the music business out of its sales slumps. AOL can be the premiere distribution system of the digital revolution, it will take some capital investiment; however, the pay off can reap AOL some marketing power unrivaled and unmatched by none other just as McDonald's marketing power keeps it afloat.

      I wish I could be the CEO of AOL, I'll transform the company from the laggard it is today on TimeWarner's bottomline. AOL should move away from web branding and focus on sustaining real growth, real residual growth. I agree with AOL's current business strategy, but AOL's strategy can go further than it does;AOL should be generating free cash flows, and increased revenues that does not depend on ad sales. Read the following.


      paidContent.org
      AOL Plans A Dozen New Websites Within Next Six Months
      Monday March 3, 10:40 am ET
      By David Kaplan


      With portals attracting less traffic and ad money these days, AOL (NYSE: TWX - News) hopes to build up its numbers in those respective areas by forming a dozen new websites within the next six months, Bloomberg reports. As Avenue A/Razorfish found in its recent Digital Outlook, ad spending on the major web portals fell to 19 percent last year from 24 percent in 2006, while search share rose to 31 percent from 28 percent and vertical sites grew to 39 percent from 37.

      Although AOL's been getting most of its attention from shifting from an ISP to an ad network, the Time Warner unit did introduce about 30 new sites last year, with a heavy concentration on lifestyle (Asylum, for example) music (Spinner) and sports (Fanhouse). AOL is otherwise mum on what sort of categories it plans to focus on for this year, though Bill Wilson, AOL's EVP of programming, did tell Bloomberg that he expects that by the end of this year, AOL will have exceeded the amount of sites it created in 2007.

      If I was AOL's CEO, I would not give up being an ISP, I would remain an ISP, that can generate residual sales revenue, and real sustained growth.

      I wish the new CEO of TimeWarner Inc. success.

      iQon
      View article »
    • Mon Mar 3rd 15:53 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Will Microsoft's Proxy Threat Force Yahoo!'s Hand?
      Yes, I agree with Microsoft, issue a proxy, get your choice of slated board members on the ballot for the Yahoo annual meeting, that seem to be the more successful way of going about things; the board then votes to accept the MSFT offer, simple. If not, the fight, the cost, the pain and agony of loosing market share to Goole drags on. Issue the proxy, try to get members on the Yahoo Board that support Microsoft's position, and get the company.

      iQon
      View article »
    • Wed Feb 13th 16:16 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Yahoo And News Corp. Continue Marathon Discussions; Possible Bid To Counter Microsoft
      All is invalid and futile, if, Microsoft, tender the stock holders of Yahoo!, directly, and slightly raise the bid. All will be lost for any competing bid. The senergies, and potential for residual revenue growth is to overpowering to ignore. It is a chance for, MSN, to incorporate, webcam/viewing, customer interaction, telephone, television, cellular service, into one unique package called: " Microsoft Home! " Fantastic business model. As with the telephone companies of old: " The last mile of phone wire leading into the house; not to mention, getting around government regulations bestowed upon the telecom industry via, 1986, break-up of AT&T's monopolistic powers.

      This is a fabulous idea to merge, combine the two companies, and an ))XM-Satellite(( deal would only enhance the Yahoo! MSN experience. MSN is a free service given you have an internet provider. MSN, Microsoft, Yahoo! does not participate in the delivery of web content, or broadband delivery. And News Corp.'s, Rupert Murdoch, just acquired " The Wall Street Journal; Yahoo!'s strategy does not fit with News Corp.'s core business being Yahoo! already offer Yahoo News.

      Microsoft/Yahoo! is the best fit for this particular situation.

      iQon!
      View article »
    • Wed Feb 13th 15:52 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Is Yahoo Really Worth More Than Microsoft Offered?
      Yahoo/AT&T deal information suggests other wise.


      News analysis A new kind of Internet portal war is brewing as broadband providers begin flexing their muscles to renegotiate more-favorable deals with large Internet brands such as Yahoo and Google.

      Last week rumors were flying that AT&T was unhappy with its existing broadband portal deal with Yahoo. And this week, The Wall Street Journal reported Comcast wants a bigger slice of the revenue pie in its deal with Internet search giant Google.

      AT&T and Yahoo have downplayed the rumors, saying they are actually expanding their relationship. Meanwhile Comcast and Google remain mum on their deal, but insiders say that Comcast is re-evaluating the Google partnership as part of a broader deal it's considering to add advertising to its Web site.

      Whether AT&T eventually splits from Yahoo, Comcast ditches Google or neither of those possibilities comes to pass, one thing is clear: broadband penetration has changed the game, and new Internet power brokers are emerging, making it necessary for players to renegotiate deals made only a few years ago.

      "ISPs have always faced a challenge when it comes to attracting customers to their portals," said Joe Laszlo, an analyst with Jupiter Research. "But they are bringing more to the table today in terms of subscribers and their own content, so I think naturally there is some rebalancing going on. But I don't think it's a traumatic thing; just an evolution in the relationship with the Internet companies."

      As more advertising dollars move online, broadband companies see a big opportunity. For the last couple of years online advertising has grown about 30 percent year over year, according to the advertising and marketing research firm eMarketer. The increase in spending comes as more advertisers shift away from placing ads in traditional media and spend more to advertise online.

      But most of the advertising spending is concentrated among the top four Internet portals--Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL--according to eMarketer. Google alone captured about 25 percent of the overall online advertising dollars spent in 2006. In 2007, eMarketer projects, two-thirds of the $19.5 billion expected to be spent online will go to those four big Internet companies.

      "As more traditional advertisers shift their budgets toward online, they're more likely to spend that money on traditional online companies, such as Yahoo and MSN," said David Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer.

      Still, the opportunity to make money from advertising is there, and broadband providers want a piece of the action. Comcast started experimenting with advertising on its portal about nine months ago, and the company is looking to expand its efforts. It already has a request for proposal circulating among Internet companies to find a suitable partner to help attract more advertising dollars.

      What's in a portal?
      Since cable operators and telephone companies first started selling high-speed Internet services, they wanted to offer more than just dumb pipes delivering access to the Internet. They wanted to provide a reason, beyond simple speeds and feeds, to keep customers loyal to their services. Developing a Web portal or home page for direct interaction, where they could showcase other services to existing customers, became an important element of their strategies.

      "(ISPs) are bringing more to the table today in terms of subscribers and their own content, so I think naturally there is some rebalancing going on."
      --Joe Laszlo
      Jupiter Research analyst Some companies, such as Comcast, built their own portals and partnered with big Internet companies like Google only for certain features, like search. Others, such as AT&T and Verizon Communications, partnered with existing giants to offer co-branded services that included premium content that users couldn't get on regular Web portal sites. AT&T, then SBC Communications, struck an exclusive deal with Yahoo. Verizon took a multipartner approach, signing contracts with AOL, MSN and Yahoo. Its co-branded AOL site will launch later this year.

      At the time most of these deals were struck, companies like MSN and Yahoo had more clout with consumers when it came to the Internet than did phone companies or cable operators. As a result, some deals likely favored Internet players more than broadband providers.

      That appears to be the case with AT&T and Yahoo, which struck their deal back in 2001. According to news reports, AT&T actually pays Yahoo to allow its subscribers to access Yahoo's content. Some estimates are that Yahoo makes as much as $250 million annually from the AT&T deal.

      Meanwhile, Google has been paying some of its partners, such as Dell and News Corp., to use its search engine. Google has promised to pay $900 million in advertising revenue to News Corp. for putting its search engine on MySpace. Comcast is also getting paid to use Google's search engine, although some say Comcast wants a bigger cut of the advertising revenue.

      Published: March 20, 2007, 4:00 AM PDT
      TalkBackE-mailPrint del.icio.us Digg this
      (continued from previous page)

      But the Internet is changing, and broadband providers have more reasons today to demand better partnership terms than they did earlier. For one, broadband penetration is now more than 50 percent in the U.S. And with all the consolidation that has happened in the cable and phone industries over the past few years, more subscribers are customers of fewer providers.

      For example, at the end of 2002 Comcast had 3.6 million high-speed Internet subscribers. By the end of 2006, it reported a total of 11.5 million subscribers. With its acquisition of BellSouth, AT&T has become the largest broadband provider, with more than 12 million high-speed Internet subscribers.

      What's more, consumers are starting to buy bundled packages of services from a single broadband provider. Not only does this encourage loyalty, but an integrated portal makes more sense for subscribers who want to access all their services from a single launch pad. Today, Comcast customers subscribing to high-speed Internet, digital voice service and cable TV, can access their e-mail, telephone voicemail and TV guide from the Comcast.net portal. The company's upcoming wireless phone service will also be integrated into the portal.

      The phone companies are planning similar integrations. While Verizon has co-branded portals, it's also developing its own portal, called Verizon Surround, which is focused on content affiliated with the company's high-speed Fios service. Like the cable companies, Verizon offers a triple-play package of voice, video and data services that runs over the Fios all-fiber network.

      Later this year, Verizon will offer subscribers the ability to program their digital video recorders from the Verizon Surround portal. Comcast also plans to offer that capability later this year through Comcast.net.

      The content connection
      Another key reason why the balance of power may tilt slightly toward broadband providers is the existing relationship that they have with big media companies for video distribution. The cable companies, especially, have long-established relationships with huge media companies, since they've been the primary source of distribution for more than 30 years. Comcast already offers a larger catalog of video-on-demand titles, some of which can be accessed from its Web site.

      Verizon is also starting to bulk up its own portal with video content from deals it has struck for its TV service, which will eventually allow Verizon subscribers to view and access content from any kind of device, said Bill Heilig, vice president of consumer broadband product management at Verizon.

      Meanwhile, Google is embroiled in what could be a multibillion-dollar lawsuit with Viacom, one of the largest media companies in the world. Google, however, has also successfully negotiated licensing deals with many entertainment companies, including Warner Music Group, CBS, and most recently, the BBC.

      Now on News.com
      Green tech: Now comes the hard part

      Viacom's MTV unveils digital strategy

      Mobile social not ready for prime time?

      Extra: Don't let your mind get away with anything Experts say that large Internet companies do still wield a lot of power, especially since usage on their branded Web sites far outpaces that of any phone company or cable provider. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, Yahoo and Google each had more than 107 million and 105 million unique visitors, respectively, to their Web sites in February. Meanwhile, Comcast.net and all other Comcast-branded sites had only 14 million unique visitors. AT&T and Verizon Communications Web sites saw only about 13 million unique viewers each.

      As a result, broadband providers, recognize that Internet companies are important partners. Because the Internet brand is very familiar to subscribers, it often helps keep customers loyal. Verizon's Heilig said he was surprised to see how much its co-branded sites reduced customer churn.

      "People like the brand-name portals," he said. "I will be the first to admit that Verizon's start page isn't MSN, Yahoo or AOL."

      But he added that as the market evolves, these deals will inevitably be revisited.

      "I'm sure we will do a gut check in a year or two," he said. "Right now, the retention benefits are very material. But at some point the game may change, and we have the flexibility to change our plans.".....end of article.


      Yahoo!, Microsoft merger is just what's needed in the internet world, and if Microsoft work on providing real time computer access, usage, in an internet cafe, college computr lab, only, in the public; Microsoft/Yahoo! combination can reach economies of scales rather quickly, and generate a bundle of free cash, and amassing enormous share holder's value to the company; let alone, adding significant value to the end user's lives.



      iQon!
      View article »
    • Wed Feb 13th 15:33 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Is Yahoo Really Worth More Than Microsoft Offered?
      Yes, I agree, MFST's, go-at-it-alone, internet stragegy is long over; why? Because when MSN was launched, MSN, was launched as a free service, totally, never, really depending on ad revenue to strive, and grow.

      MFST is adapting a strategy of ' Residual Growth, ' which is what Yahoo provide through the online deal with AT&T. Along with MFST's proactive strategy of hand held devices now, since iPod, the Xbox is poised to reap the benefits of Yahoo's enormous following, free-membership, because MFST, nor, Yahoo, engage in internet connectivity, where the revenue is generated in a residual fashion, and does not necessarily depend on external economic situations as much as Google's strategy. As time goes, Google, will be much more dependent upon ad revenues which means Google's dollar per person costs will rise inorder to maintain ad sponsorship. The strategy MFST is persuing, allows a freeier cash revenue/profit build up, only if executed correctly. Increased profit margins through residual income.

      Yahoo has brokered a deal, and I mean a very successful deal with the recording industry; where, all parties involved share the revenues. Revenue sharing strategy of Yahoo! Excellent stragegy. In the long run, Yahoo's stragegy is going to be more successful among Yahoo, Google, AOL, and currently, MSN,.

      Yahoo does not depend on ad revenue to survive as much as MSN, Google, AOL, and television! Yahoo is built around brand loyalty, word of mouth, and total entertainment value added sentiments to the customers lives, and end user interaction; I know, I'm an adamant Yahoo user.

      MFST, and Yahoo(Yhoo!) is a very good strategy, because it as well slide under the radar of creating a monopoly with in Microsoft's window divisions.

      I do not know if Microsift(MFST) should raise the bid. I would, if I was on the board of Microsoft. I would conduct a simple (NPV-ft) net present value of future cash flows equation; which, I know Steve Ballmer already knows due to his cost accounting skills along with his CFO.

      Microsoft has one other option that will and can allow Yahoo, and MSN's internet strategy to flourish; provide computer usage time in an internet cafe style, selling unrestricted, time wise, or ownership to actual computer access.

      This is a magnificent merger strategy, business plan, because, the plan creates residual revenue growth for Microsoft, and now Microsoft has a more stable revenue stream instead of having to always create new products to earn and grow revenues; the company, share holders value!

      iQon!
      View article »
    • Wed Feb 13th 14:39 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Microsoft Offers To Buy Yahoo
      Yes, I agree, MFST's, go-at-it-alone, internet stragegy is long over; why? Because when MSN was launched, MSN, was launched as a free service, totally, never, really depending on ad revenue to strive, and grow.

      MFST is adapting a strategy of ' Residual Growth, ' which is what Yahoo provide through the online deal with AT&T. Along with MFST's proactive strategy of hand held devices now, since iPod, the Xbox is poised to reap the benefits of Yahoo's enormous following, free-membership, because MFST, nor, Yahoo, engage in internet connectivity, where the revenue is generated in a residual fashion, and does not necessarily depend on external economic situations as much as Google's strategy. As time goes, Google, will be much more dependent upon ad revenues which means Google's dollar per person costs will rise inorder to maintain ad sponsorship. The strategy MFST is persuing, allows a freeier cash revenue/profit build up, only if executed correctly. Increased profit margins through residual income.

      Yahoo has brokered a deal, and I mean a very successful deal with the recording industry; where, all parties involved share the revenues. Revenue sharing strategy of Yahoo! Excellent stragegy. In the long run, Yahoo's stragegy is going to be more successful among Yahoo, Google, AOL, and currently, MSN,.

      Yahoo does not depend on ad revenue to survive as much as MSN, Google, AOL, and television! Yahoo is built around brand loyalty, word of mouth, and total entertainment value added sentiments to the customers lives, and end user interaction; I know, I'm an adamant Yahoo user.

      MFST, and Yahoo(Yhoo!) is a very good strategy, because it as well slide under the radar of creating a monopoly with in Microsoft's window divisions.

      I do not know if Microsift(MFST) should raise the bid. I would, if I was on the board of Microsoft. I would conduct a simple (NPV-ft) net present value of future cash flows equation; which, I know Steve Ballmer already knows due to his cost accounting skills along with his CFO.

      Microsoft has one other option that will and can allow Yahoo, and MSN's internet strategy to flourish; provide computer usage time in an internet cafe style, selling unrestricted, time wise, or ownership to actual computer access.

      This is a magnificent merger strategy, business plan, because, the plan creates residual revenue growth for Microsoft, and now Microsoft has a more stable revenue stream instead of having to always create new products to earn and grow revenues; the company, share holders value!

      iQon!
      View article »
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