Seven Mile

Ron Jackson Comments on Shoddy New York Times Journalism

Per my post on the lopsided New York Times story about Marchex and domain names:

"Quite right frank - this is simply shoddy and dishonest journalism and something that no self-respecting media outlet should tolerate - especially one that has had a reputation for accuracy like the NY Times. Letting reporters color news pieces with their own biases used to be a no no. But today newspaper editors and reporters are being laid off left and right as their branch of media continues to wither and die on the vine. I guess it is not surprising that those very scared people continually lash out at the force that is on the way to putting them out of business - but whatever the excuse - it is still simply bad journalism and in the end that will come back to bite them in the [caboose]."

I can only hope Ron. If anyone deserves a good bite in the posterior it's the author of that piece.

Newspapers Trying to Find Their Way in a World we Take For Granted

Rhart writes:

""I am surprised that with the thousands of struggling, yet still profitable newspapers in this country that they (newspapers - who are searching for a solution***) are not gobbling up any available good generic domain portfolios.

Here is an article where they are just waking up and "Allowing readers to contribute content online" to their "1" domain, of course. Meanwhile Marchex and Demand Media are taking a large chunk the advertising dollars that they used to get. Do they ever notice this?

*** "Newspapers across the country are laying off employees to deal with declining revenue even as they search for a workable online business model."

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/BIZ01/706270332/1076/BIZ

I should have added this article too

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8PSRFLG1.htm

***FS*** I'm frankly surprised by how much easier it is for online folks like us to come after traditional media business models than the other way around. In a way it's sad.. in a way "that's life". This opportunity is open to anyone, but buying/managing thousands of domain names for traffic and dynamic-development is not going to be "for everyone".  As one of my friends recently opined: "We'll live to see the day when a large scale domain registrant leverages the power of their portfolio to buy a large traditional media outlet."   And unlike AOL Time Warner of the Past,  This time it will be based on EBITDA, not stock prices.

Domain Name News .com

http://domainnamenews.com/

I've had several folks email me asking for blog posts. That is incredibly flattering, but I just can't post well from my Blackberry going 62mph in the dark on a roller coaster :)

For those of you thirsting for the latest tidbits I recommend DomainNameNews.com. This is published by domainers Adam Strong and former Tucows Sales Engineer Frank Michlick (publisher of domaineditorial.com)..  One gets the technology around naming,  the other is a first class domainer in his own right.  Read and learn friends.

Honorable mention to domainnamewire.com, and blog.domaintools.com, and domainnews.com ..which are on my blogroll and updating frequently. Will add domainnamenews.com to the roll when they leave beta. Most honorable mention to domainersgazette.com which I almost forgot ;) .. almost.

Sedo, and Boobtube.com

http://venturebeat.com/2007/06/07/sedo-and-the-boobtubecom-problem/

There are a thousand stories like this in our naked industry -- or is it our naked city?  ..  hmm I'll get it right one ofthese days ;)  Thanks sincerely for the link..  several folks sent.

June Calendar

Lots of things happening in June..  these are the items folks are chatting about:

http://targetedtraffic.com/ny_show.html - Traffic Show in NYC

http://domainjamnyc.com/ - Unrelated Party Running in Tandem with the Traffic Show

http://www.icann.org/meetings/sanjuan/ - ICANN Meeting in San Juan at month End

It's "OverSnap"

It's official, Snapnames has been acquired by Los Angeles based Oversee ..  And while it may seem like the rumored 25mm sale was struck, purely on the EBITDA that Snapnames.com generates, I have a hunch this is all about what can be done with the industry’s leading automated auction platform and clearing house.

Oversee is behind the well received Domainfest conference and tradeshow. What do you suppose they could do if they plugged the Snapnames auction into their tradeshow and others? Then how about if they ran that auction with 4 lanes in a Las Vegas hotel and did the auction/show to coincide with Winter CES when everyone in technology attends? Think about what Christies, Barret-Jackson, and Sothebys have done with auctions over the years. Then think about how important great domain names are (are going to be in future).

What leading auction houses like Snapnames and Moniker understand is that the sale does not close when a name clears the block. Buyers pay premiums on the front end hoping to amortize their purchase over a decade or more. Names have to get quickly and efficiently transfered on the back-end, transfer authcodes provided, names unlocked, nameservers set.  Seems simple enough but you’d be surprised how acrimonious and unwieldy outbound transfers are from certain registrars.

Snap was the first to bend over backward to simplify that process and provide a streamlined front end interface for bidding.  The market has rewarded them with higher unreserved sale prices for names which cross their block.  Now that block is owned by Oversee.

Congratulations to the buyer and seller. Posted early cuz Jay scooped me at Domaintools  ;)

Dust Off Those "Lochness Monster" Domains

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/31/britain.lochness.ap/index.html

Not sure if this is real but it just hit CNN International..  so could have legs ..  or scales ;)   No video yet.

Rumor Mill

One acquisition announced tonight at 7pm Pacific? I heard both sides of it but didn't put them together until the AM, (initially thought it was two) ;)

Yahoo, Passion and Retirement: This is a Big Problem

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1700AP_Yahoo_Resignation.html

Yahoo's CTO is retiring.. presumably he wants to spend more time in the Cayman Islands..  and I can't really blame him.

But as you chuckle, consider how big a problem this is for domains and tech in general. Many of the folks administering domain names and domain portfolios have 10 years in.  What's going to happen when these folks tire of the race?

Speaking for myself, managing domain names is a 24x7x365 affair..  I truly love it of course,  but one day I may not.  Is there going to be a qualified person with a passion and the fire in his (or her) belly, to take the reins and make the sacrifice to run the company the way I would want them to? Will they understand the subtleties and nuances of the trade?

How about Yahoo.. will they find the right individual who truly bleeds the company colors? Even the greatest careers last just 20 years or so. This half-way point (and Yahoo retirement announcement) is a great time for us all to perform a temperature check and plan for the future (yes, you too Google).

Domain names will be around in 20 years.. but you may not -- not at the company anyway. You'll probably be sipping rum-runners on the beach with me.. Domainers get to live forever (hope you got the memo)  ;)

'Domain Name Wire' Posts

Nice posts on Domain Name Wire regarding the rise in the value of geographic domains and the sale of CCtld Poker.de for 695,000Euro (about a million bucks) .. 

Thurston Howell says: "Walking around money" lovey!