Three Tidbits

The tenor of these press tidbits is growth, consolidation and maturation.

Ron Jackson has a new cover story in this month's DNJournal.  Ron is a patient and methodical writer and a great story teller..  He fleshes out the back-story behind NameMedia and their rocket like trajectory.  I really like Jeff Bennett..  Kelly Conlin too .. While I don't have a great deal of insight into the mechanics of their operation circa 2007, they bought some outstanding foundational elements in the form of BuyDomains (back in 2005) and I believe they'll have a fine run selling some names and licensing media on others..  It's a diversified show.

Second story comes courtesy of Josh.. CNN Money piece that speaks to the merger grow-online dynamic relating to media properties and advertising.

In the last piece, Ron covers the goings on at Domainfest in Amsterdam (one of the first large European domain shows).  It's great to see folks thriving in this business across the pond and around the world..  that's only just beginning.

What's happening here?  I spent the afternoon with my father-in-law, floating in the ocean in Cayman.. We laid on our backs soaking up the sun as the swelling sea moved our bodies up and down in otherwise still water..  The greater swells moving us in this industry (that we are only beginning to feel) come from a tidal-wave of cash moving from offline to online media.

Consider that top domain name holders like NameMedia.com generate vastly more provable, real and certain distribution (person visits) than many of the US's institutional newspapers.. These folks (and others) control enormous swaths of measurable and merchantable traffic; yet very few folks know or understand it. The disconnect in valuation between these name portfolios and the billions in marketcap of by-gone news outlets like the WSJ and LATimes is staggering. 

As the smart money starts to look around and say 'Whoa, wait a minute' -- louder, and with greater frequency; consolidation, merger and growth in our industry are the results. The ocean is coming to this industry, it is palpable. Prepare for significant, wild changes in this space and buy generic defensible domain names while they're still relatively affordable.

Comments

[Javier Marti]

Hey Frank
Did you see this?
""United Nations to control future of Internet""
"...will assume the lead policy role for the future growth and development of the Internet. This includes assigning domain names and addresses""
http://www.sddt.com/news/article.cfm?SourceCode=20070605tza
And some thought that the current system was bad enough!
I see more bureaucreacy and government intervention coming our way...will they "get it" fast enough in order not to delay the party even more?

Regards

Javier
Trendirama.com

***FS*** Thanks for the link! Thats an older story with a new spin .. We'll have to wait a while for the answer to your question though.

[Jack]

Hey Frank. Is that in front of the palatial estate or elsewhere? It looks a bit shallow for Seven Mile. That is post card worthy though. Wow.

[owen frager]

Quite a contrast that photo and those of NM folks on Dnjournal. Also speaks volumes about the transfer of power to take things to the next level. Not going to happen from the beach, but the beach lovers can certainly take an equity stake in or shift their holdings into stock for the newly formed/merged domain conglomerates and continue to prosper from the industry they created.

Saw a CNN feature on an oil baron who sold out, went to Italy, saw beauty in a bridge remaining from the war and decided to get involved recessitating art. There can be life after domains:
http://msn-list.te.verweg.com/2006-December/006612.html

[jim]

I think if you head down 7 mile beach away from Georgetown the beach looks like that. (past cemetery beach)

A really nice spot is Point of Sand on Little Cayman.

[Joe]

A bit pasty for someone in the Caymans, eh? Need to pull yourself away from the computer a little more and enjoy what you've got!

***FS*** Testify bro... testify.