Via Forbidden Planet International and others:
: Scottish publishing empire DC Thomson, home to long-loved titles like the Beano, Sunday Post and the Dandy among many other publications, has bought the Friends Reunited website through its subsidiary Brightsolid Limited.
DCT subsidiary Bright Solid picked up the site for £25 million according news reports, buying it from seriously struggling commercial broadcaster ITV, which bought it for £120 million only four years ago.
City analysts have estimated the value of Friends Reunited at between £20m and £50m.
The Guardian notes that the social networking arm of Friends Reunited is the least profitable part of the business, particularly after its subscription service was dropped in May last year, just before the bottom fell out of the advertising market.
Friends Reunited also runs a dating operation – which primarily handles white-label online dating services for companies including Daily Mirror publisher Trinity Mirror – and Genes Reunited.
The transaction is subject to approval by the competition authorities.
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics - Current British Publishers