CNET

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CNET Networks CNET Networks CNET Networks, Inc. Type Founded Headquarters Key people Industry Revenue Net income Employees Website Subsidiary of CBS Corporation 1993 235 Second Street, San Francisco, California, USA Neil Ashe, president Shelby Bonnie, co-founder Internet information provider ▲$387.69 million (2006) ▲$7.88 million (2006) 2,080 (2006) Official website CNET Networks, Inc. was a media company based in San Francisco, California, United States. The company was co-founded in 1993 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie. It was acquired by CBS Corporation in 2008 and its properties were merged into CBS Interactive. History In 1994, with the help from Fox co-founder Kevin Windle,[1] CNET produced four pilot television programs about computers, technology, and the Internet. CNET TV was composed of CNET Central, The Web, and The New Edge.[2][3]CNET Central was created first and aired in syndication in the United States on the USA Network. Later, it began airing on USA’s sister network Sci Fi Channel along with The Web and The New Edge.[4] These were later followed by TV.com in 1996. Current American Idol host Ryan Seacrest first came to national prominence at CNET, as the host of The New Edge and doing various voice-over work for CNET.[5] In addition, CNET produced another television technology news program called News.com that aired on CNBC beginning in 1999.[1] CNET acquired the Swiss-based company GDT in 1999. GDT was later renamed to CNET Channel.[1] In 1998, CNET granted the right to Asiacontent to set up CNET Asia and the operation was brought back in December 2000.[6][7] In January 2000, the same time CNET became CNET Networks, they acquired comparison shopping site mySimon for $700 million.[8] In October 2000, CNET Networks acquired ZDNet for approximately $1.6 billion.[9][10] In January 2001, Ziff Davis Media, Inc. reached an agreement with CNET Networks, Inc. to regain the URLs lost in the 2000 sale of Ziff Davis, Inc. to SoftBank Corp. a publicly traded Japanese media and technology company.[11] In April 2001, CNET acquired TechRepublic Inc., which provides content for IT professionals from Gartner, Inc., for $23 million in cash and stock.[12] On July 14, 2004, CNET announced that it would acquire Webshots, the leading photography website for $70 million ($60 million in cash, $10 million in deferred consideration).[13] From 2001 to 2003, CNET operated CNET Radio on the Clear Channel-owned KNEW 910 AM in the San Francisco Bay Area, WBPS 890 AM in Boston and on XM Satellite Radio. CNET Radio offered technologythemed programing. After failing to attract a sufficient audience, CNET Radio ceased operating in January 2003 due to financial losses.[14] On October 11, 2006, Shelby Bonnie resigned as chairman and CEO as a result of stock options backdating scandal that occurred between 1996 and 2003. Neil Ashe was named as the new CEO.[15] In December 2006, James Kim, an editor at CNET, died in the Oregon wilderness. 1 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CNET hosted a memorial show and podcasts dedicated to him. On March 1, 2007, CNET announced the public launch of BNET, a website targeted towards business managers. BNET was launched in 2005 in beta form.[16] CNET Networks CNET Shopper.com CNET Shopper.com is an online tool that aims to find the lowest prices on items from online retailers. While generally reliable, there have been notable errors in pricing information on occasion including a camera worth over a thousand dollars being advertised for only a few dollars. Acquisition by CBS On May 15, 2008, it was announced that CBS Corporation would buy CNET Networks for US$1.8 billion.[17][18][19] On June 30, 2008, the acquisition was completed.[20] Former CNET properties are now part of CBS Interactive. Blogs Also available at blogs.cnet.com, this is a round up of all the blogs from CNET personalities and official blogs for CNET and CNET programs. In addition to CNET.com, which is aimed at North American audiences, there are also regional CNET sites including cnet.com.au (for Australia), cnet.co.uk (for the United Kingdom) and asia.cnet.com (for Asia). Content on regional sites is a mix of mostly locally produced content from regional offices of CNET, with certain content - mostly news from the US CNET.com site. In addition, content is sometimes sourced from ZDNet. Websites CNET.com CNET.com is CNET’s online portal, providing access to CNET’s reviews, news, downloads, price comparisons and CNET TV as well as web search powered by search.com. CNET.com is divided into seven major sections, all of which can be accessed from the home or "Today on CNET" page. These sections are: Download.com Download.com is a website that provides Windows, Macintosh and mobile software for download. CNET maintains that this software is free of spyware. The site also offers free MP3 music files for download (mostly by independent artists), however recently, the music section of the site is now merged with last.fm. This meant that all the music downloads were deleted without warning.[21] Reviews Product and service reviews by CNET. This section can also include extras such as Internet connection speed tests, opinion articles and buying guides. CNET News CNET News (formerly known as News.com) is a news website dedicated to technology. Content is created by both CNET and external media agencies. A daily podcast is available which covers main stories. Some of CNET’s blogs also fall under this portion of the website, including Webware (Web 2.0 topics) and Crave (gadgets). CNET TV CNET TV plays various videos, including CNET video reviews. CNET editors such as Tom Merritt, Molly Wood, and Brian Cooley And Brian Tong host shows like Car Tech, Buzz Report, Quick Tips, CNET Top 5, Loaded, The Apple Byte, Digital City, The Digital Home, Inside CNET Live, Mail Bag, video prizefights, and others, as well as special reports and reviews. On April 12, 2007, CNET TV aired its first episode of CNET LIVE, hosted by Brian Cooley and Tom Merritt. The first episode featured Justin Kan of justin.tv.[22][23] Tips & Tricks Tips & Tricks is the learning area of CNET, offering a range of tutorials, guides and tips for technology users. CNET TV CNET TV is CNET’s Internet video channel offering a selection of on-demand video content including video reviews, first looks and special features. CNET UK In 2005, CNET launched CNET.co.uk.[24] This UK arm of CNET Networks covers 2 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CNET Networks produced by CNET Networks UK’s various consumer and business sites. Alongside music show Encoded, CNET TV UK hosts live sessions with popular artists -in the past including The Broken Family Band and Lightspeed Champion -- under the name CNET TV:Live. BNET BNET, a portal designed similarly to CNET, was created for the businessman or woman, specifically those in the management field. It provides tools and information in an organized format, while also providing professional insight on emerging news and strategies affecting a range of industries, many not specifically related to the technology industry. Logo of CNET UK. similar areas to CNET.com, but specifically for UK consumers. As of January 2008, an independent audit certified CNET.co.uk was the largest consumer electronics website in the UK, with 2.5 million unique visitors [25].The site is mainly focused on reviews, news, a gadget blog (’Crave’, a name which CNET.com eventually adopted for their own blog) and editorial content from a team of editors, covering consumer electronics and car tech. CNET.co.uk is managed and overseen by site editor Jason Jenkins (formerly of T3 Magazine). The CNET.co.uk editorial team consists of Rory Reid, Ian Morris, Nate Lanxon, Andrew Lim and Richard Trenholm. CNET.co.uk also has a weekly podcast called the ’CNET UK Podcast’. CNET Networks UK also comprises a number of other online-only publications, including GameSpot.co.uk, Silicon.com, ZDNet.co.uk and SmartPlanet.com, each of which produce both editorial and audio-video productions, including GameSpot’s video show ’Start/Select’, and ZDNet’s popular ’Dialogue Box’ show. Collectively, the publications of CNET Networks UK generate 132 million monthly page views from 9.8 million unique visitors[26]. On November 19, 2007, CNET UK launched the UK version of CNET TV. Although the site’s design is very different in design to CNET.com’s version, it differs by using true 16:9-resolution video, streaming in Adobe Flash at high bit rates. CNET TV UK produces all original content, most notably a weekly music show, Encoded, hosted by Nate Lanxon; and Reel Weekend, a weekly film digest hosted by Ben Howard. The site also features a car tech show, product video reviews, music videos and most of the video content Other websites Other CNET websites include GameSpot, GameFAQs, Metacritic, MP3.com, TV.com, and Movie Tome, which operate under the "CNET Networks Entertainment" brand name; Chow, Chowhound, UrbanBaby and Consumating, which operate under the "CNET Networks Community" brand; Webware, a blog launched in November 2006 dedicated to web applications.[27] In July 2004, CNET Networks acquired Webshots, an online photo sharing site for $70 million[28]. However, in October 2007, they sold Webshots to American Greetings for $45 million[29] CNET owns many domain names, including download.com, upload.com, news.com, search.com, tv.com, mp3.com, chat.com, computers.com, help.com, shopper.com, radio.com, and com.com. In 1998, CNET was sued by Snap Technologies for its use of the snap.com website.[30] Podcasts The network produces several audio and video podcasts. They are related to the core areas of technology: General news, DAPs, Cars, Security, and the ongoing wars between the politicos and the industry. The network has several different brandings on their podcasts. CNET.com, the Network’s most viewed site, has more than eight to date.[31] The other sites in the CNET Network that have podcasts are GameSpot, TV.com, MP3.com and CNET.co.uk. A lot of 3 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CNET podcasts are streamed live at http://www.watchbol.com CNET Networks newsArticle&ID=591100&highlight=. Retrieved on 2008-01-19. [14] "CNet pulls plug on radio program". Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal. January 16, 2003. [1] ^ "CNET Networks - About Us - History". http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/ CNET Networks. stories/2003/01/13/daily60.html. http://www.cnetnetworks.com/aboutus/ Retrieved on 2007-06-29. history.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-29. [15] "CNET CEO quits after options review; [2] http://news.cnet.com/CNET-to-launchoutlook cut". Reuters. 2006-10-11. two-new-TV-shows/ http://today.reuters.com/news/ 2100-1023_3-210413.html articlenews.aspx?type=industryNews&storyID=2006 [3] http://www.ew.com/ew/article/ MEDIA-CNET0,,286315,00.html DC.XML&WTmodLoc=EntNewsIndustry_C2_industry [4] http://news.cnet.com/CNET-to-launchRetrieved on 2006-10-24. two-new-TV-shows/ [16] "CNET Networks rolls out BNET, Web 2100-1023_3-210413.html site targeting business managers". BtoB [5] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0780435/ Magazine. March 1, 2007. [6] http://pressreleases.cnetnetworks.com/ http://www.btobonline.com/apps/ phoenix.zhtml?c=67325&p=irolpbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/FREE/ newsArticle&ID=687223&highlight= 70301001/1078. Retrieved on [7] http://www.computerworld.com.au/ 2007-06-29. article/73673/cnet-ziff[17] "CBS CORPORATION TO ACQUIRE davis_merger_leaves_asiacontent_com_wondering CNET NETWORKS, INC.". CBS [8] "CNET Acquires mySimon". Corporation. 2008-05-15. internetnews.com. January 20, 2000. http://www.cbscorporation.com/news/ http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/ prdetails.php?id=3263. Retrieved on article.php/289951. Retrieved on 2008-05-15. 2008-01-19. [18] "CBS to buy CNET Networks". CNET. [9] "Cnet To Buy Ziff Davis". 2008-05-15. http://www.news.com/ InformationWeek. July 19, 2000. 8301-10784_3-9944882-7.html. http://www.informationweek.com/story/ Retrieved on 2008-05-15. IWK20000719S0010. Retrieved on [19] "CBS buying CNet in online push". 2007-06-29. cnn.com. May 15, 2008. [10] "Interview With CNETnews.com’s Sydnie http://dailybriefing.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/ Kohara". JournalismJobs.com. January 2008/05/15/cbs-buying-cnet-in-online2001. http://www.journalismjobs.com/ push/. Retrieved on 2008-05-15. interview_kohara.cfm. Retrieved on [20] "CBS CORPORATION COMPLETES 2007-06-29. ACQUISITION OF CNET NETWORKS; [11] "Ziff Davis Media to Regain URLs MERGES OPERATIONS INTO NEW, through agreement with CNET EXPANDED CBS INTERACTIVE Networks, ZDNet". Ziff Davis Media BUSINESS UNIT". CBS Corporation. Press Release. January 23, 2001. 2008-06-30. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/ http://www.cbscorporation.com/news/ mi_m0EIN/is_2001_Jan_23/ai_69405336. prdetails.php?id=3503. Retrieved on Retrieved on 2008-01-19. 2008-06-30. [12] "CNET acquires TechRepublic for $23 [21] http://download.cnet.com/ million". San Francisco Business Times. 8301-2007_4-10188863-12.html April 9, 2001. [22] http://cnettv.cnet.com/ http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/ 8301-13415_53-9708591-11.html?tag=mncol;title sanfrancisco/stories/2001/04/09/ [23] http://cnettv.cnet.com/ daily5.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-19. 2001-1_53-27077.html [13] "CNET Networks to Acquire Webshots". [24] http://www.cbsinteractive.co.uk/press/ CNET Networks Investor Relations. July releases/0,10000069,10000455,00.htm 14, 2004. http://ir.cnetnetworks.com/ [25] "CNET Jan ’08 audit figures" (PDF). phoenix.zhtml?c=67325&p=irolABCe. January 15, 2007. References 4 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Name Buzz Out Loud Planet CNET Brand CNET.com Hosts Natalie Del Conte (Replaced Molly Wood), Tom Merritt, and Jason Howell (Replaced Veronica Belmont) Type CNET Networks Frequency Audio/Video Daily/ Weekly Video Video Weekly CNET.com and Kara Tsuboi, Louise Ghegan, Rory international Reid, Ella Morton and John Chan Brian Tong The Apple CNET.com Byte The 404 Loaded CNET.com CNET.com Video/CNET Weekly TV Jeff Bakalar, Wilson Tang, and Justin Yu Audio/Video Monday(Replaced Randall Bennett) Friday Natali Del Conte (interim host Mark Licea) Video MondayThursday Weekly Weekly The Buzz CNET.com Report CNET Top 5 CNET.com Molly Wood (interim host Brian Cooley) Video Tom Merritt Video Gadgettes CNET.com Inside CNET Labs Digital City MP3 Insider The Real Deal Security Bites Car Tech CNET.com Molly Wood, Kelly Morrison, and Jason Audio/Video Weekly Howell Eric Franklin and Dong Ngo Audio Daily CNET.com CNET.com Dan Ackerman, Joseph Kaminski and Julie Rivera Jasmine France and Donald Bell (formerly Veronica Belmont and James Kim) Tom Merritt and Rafe Needleman Audio Audio Weekly Weekly CNET.com Audio/Video Weekly Audio and video (on CNET TV) Weekly CNET.com and Robert Vamosi News.com CNET.com Brian Cooley, Kevin Massy, and Wayne Audio and Cunningham video (on CNET TV) Tom Merritt, Brian Cooley and Brian Tong Kent German, Bonnie Cha, and Nicole Lee Video (CNET TV) Audio Video (CNET TV) Weekly CNET Live Dialed In CNET.com CNET.com Thursdays Wednesdays Bi-weekly Weekly Crossfade Download.com, Kurt Wolff, Mike Tao, Peter Gavin, and TV MP3.com Anngie Dehoyos Studio C CNET.com, Kurt Wolff, Ariel Nunez, Mike Tao, and Audio Download.com, Peter Gavin and MP3.com GameSpot Brian Ekberg and Kristen Reilley hosts this live weekly video game talk show along with various other editors and guests. Video On the Spot Thursdays at 4 PM PST 5 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The LineUp Import Friendly Start/ Select The Hotspot GameSpot Brian Ekberg, Aaron Thomas, and Shanker Srinivasan hosts this sports video game talk show. Takeshi Hiraoka hosts this import game and culture show. Guy Cocker hosts this news and features show on UK gaming. Tor Thorsen hosts this video game news podcast. Brian Ekberg hosts this sports video game podcast. Video CNET Networks Bi-weekly (Fri) Monthly (1st Thurs) Fridays Tuesdays Mondays On Hiatus until further notice. Thursdays GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot Video Video Audio Audio From the GameSpot Bleachers Gamespot GameSpot UK UK Podcast OzSpot Gamespot AU Gamespot AU Podcast CNET UK CNET.co.uk Podcast The Digit- CNET.com al Home Guy Cocker, Luke Anderson and the Gamespot UK team with news and features on UK Gaming. Audio Randolph Ramsay, Dan Chiappini, and Audio James Kozanecki bring you the GameSpot AU podcast. Biggest news and trends in the world of Australian Gaming. Ian Morris, Nate Lanxon and CNET UK Audio team Don Reisinger Audio Bi-weekly (Wed) Fridays Weekly http://www.abce.org.uk/ABCE_PDFS/ CNET.co.uk1107w.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-01-16. [26] "CNET audit figures". ABCe. February 4, 2008. http://cnetnetworks.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-04. [27] Needleman, Rafe (2006-11-29). "Webware.com is live!". Rafe’s Blog. http://www.rafeneedleman.com/ rafes_blog/2006/11/ webwarecom_is_l.html. Retrieved on 2007-09-21. [28] "CNET Acquires Photo Service Webshots For $70 Million". http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/cnetacquires-photo-service-webshotsfor-70-million. [29] "CNET Networks Announces Sale of Webshots to American Greetings". CNET Networks Investor Relations. http://pressreleases.cnetnetworks.com/ phoenix.zhtml?c=67325&p=irolnewsArticle&ID=1068044&highlight=. [30] Bowman, Lisa, News.com (1998-11-21). "Snap! Crackle! Popped! CNet hit with suit over portal name". ZDNet News. http://news.zdnet.com/ 2100-9595_22-512894.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-11. [31] "CNET Podcast Central". http://reviews.cnet.com/ 4520-11455_7-6333605-1.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-25. External links • CBS Interactive the successor of CNET Networks • CBS Interactive UK the successor of CNET Networks UK • CBS Interactive Australia the successor of CNET Networks Australia • CNET.com • CNET.co.uk • CNET.com.au • asia.CNET.com • News.com • CNET TV • CNET TV UK • Archive versions of CNET Networks Archive at Internet Archive • Transcripts of CNET Network’s quarterly conference calls 6 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CNET Networks Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNET_Networks" Categories: Webby Awards, CNET Networks, Companies established in 1993 This page was last modified on 17 May 2009, at 20:13 (UTC). All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) 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