CBS buys CNET for $1.8 billion

CNET has News.com, ZDNet, GameSpot, mp3.com, Download.com, TechRepublic, UrbanBaby, MySimon, and a number of other premium domain names. Once integrated into the “CBS collective”, the company will have access to 54 million monthly visitors.

I remember when News.com first came onto the Internet in the early 90′s. It was a great site and offered*real* commentary on technology. The company has gone through some tough times, so its good to see that its been recognised and acquired as a premium media property.

I believe that this is a great strategy; although we have seen this before with Rupert Murdoch and MySpace. If you can’t build them, then buy them. You can bet the company boardrooms of TV networks are buzzing with questions like “ok… who are we going to buy?”. Hold on kids, this is just the start of acquisitions by TV networks!

TRAFFIC East Auctions – How Much For Pay.com?

Moniker has released the final catalogs and auction orders for the Low & No Reserve Auction as well as the Premier Live Auction taking place on Friday, May 23, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. EST/11:00 a.m. PST in Orlando, USA.

Here is a selection that I particularly like:

pay.com, action.com, anger.com, athlete.com, gasprices.com, idol.com, jackpot.com, daycare.org, refinancing.net and ringtone.mobi

I’m dying to see how much pay.com will sell for. It’s going to have to be a record breaker.

.com.au – What Do The auDA Changes Mean?

About auDA

For those that don’t know, auDA is a government endorsed entity that was formed in 2000, so administer the .au domain space.

To date, auDA has resisted attempts to open up the .com.au namespace so that anyone can register a domain name. In fact, their policies are just plain prehistoric. Around December 2007, auDA “suspended new registrar accreditation applications”. The auDA board minutes tell us that this was “due to a backlog”, however if you read on it also says “noted some challenges that have arisen recently, with more overseas-based applicants and existing registrars seeking multiple accreditations.” In other words – bunker down kids – those evil domainers are comin!

Policy

Last year, the auDA Names Policy Panel made a recommendation to the auDA board that the transfers policy “be relaxed”. In simple terms, the new policy says:

• You can’t register a domain name”for the sole purpose of resale or transfer to a third party“.

• You can’t transfer your domain name for the first 6 months.

• You can sell a domain name after 6 months.

• If you transfer it to someone else, then you “will be asked to disclose the sale method and price, on a voluntary and confidential basis”.

• auDA may “collect aggregated statistical data to improve access to market information for buyers and sellers.”

So, how is auDA going to enforce these rules? No, really. What’s in it for auDA to collect market data – apart from promoting domain name prices in a heavily regulated market?

How Do I Register?

Before you jump in and say “EUREKA – I’m going to get me some .com.au domains” – you also still need to qualify under the eligibility and allocation rules. This basically means you need to be Australian and/or have a company structure / ABN.

In any case, the media has gotten wind of this and is hyping it up to be an “open market”. While its step in the right direction, the restrictions are still a joke.

Perhaps the Australian Internet industry needs an industry body that represents those that want a free and open, commercial market? Should auDA even exist? What do you think?

.Asia – The Rest Get To Go To Auction

Depending on your viewpoint, I was either “entitled”, one of the lucky ones or wasted $130 on a .asia. Yes about a month ago I was allocated prosperity.asia. No, I didn’t have to go to auction because I already had the company name and registered the .asia as a part of the Sunrise 3 round.

Like most Australian domainers, I have been bombarded with email from US registrars telling me how this thing is “the next Internet landrush”.  So, what do the numbers actually say? Well, last night the .Asia / Pool.com team emailed me with some interesting figures.

• From February 20, 2008 to March 12, 2008 (the .ASIA Landrush Period) they received 473,633 domain name applications.

• 45,697 domains received more than one application during the Landrush Period.

For those that didn’t participate, the remaining domains will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis on March 26, 2008.