Fusion Corporate Partners

Business Insider is reporting that AOL is about to announce it’s acquiring hyperlocal veteran Outside.In. Business Insider, estimates the deal will be for less than $10 million.

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USA, New York, NY

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AOL has closed its acquisition of The Huffington Post.

AOL will integrate The Huffington Post with all AOL Media and AOL Local properties to create the Huffington Post Media Group, a source of news, opinion, entertainment, community, and digital information. Arianna Huffington will lead the overall editorial direction of the new group as President and Editor-in-Chief.

USA, New York, NY

Related articles:

• AOL acquires The Huffington Post Posted on February 9, 2011
• AOL+HuffPo! Why It is Not Really a Good Deal (from GIGaom)
• After The Huffington Post deal who is going to be bought next (The Drum)
• The Huffington Post buys Adaptive Semantics Posted onJune 22, 2010
• Greycroft Partners closes its second fund to invest in digital media businesses Posted on April 14, 2010
• Outbrain acquires Surphace from AOL Posted on February 4, 2011
• AOL acquires social identity site about.me Posted on December 21, 2010
• AOL acquires Pictela Posted on December 16, 2010
• AOL exploring a breakup of the company and merger with Yahoo Posted on December 7, 2010
• AOL acquires video content syndication platform 5min Media Posted on September 29, 2010
• AOL acquires social software start-up Thing Labs Posted on September 29, 2010
• AOL to acquire TechCrunch network of sites Posted on September 29, 2010

Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner completed the purchase of Playboy Enterprises, meaning the company will once again be private owned. Icon Acquisition Holdings, an entity controlled by Hefner, paid $6.15 per share, or $207 million.

(See previous DigiNet report)

Affiliates of Rizvi Traverse Management and Jefferies & Company provided equity and debt financing, respectively, for the transaction. Hugh M. Hefner will remain Editor-in-Chief and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy, with Scott Flanders continuing in his role as CEO.

Mr. Hefner said, “Today marks the beginning of an exciting era for this company and our iconic brand. I believe this new ownership structure will allow us to further capitalize on the unique and global appeal of the Playboy brand, and I look forward to our future success.”

Mr. Flanders added, “Our partnership with Rizvi Traverse brings Playboy new resources and expertise, which will help us more quickly and efficiently execute on our strategy to transform Playboy into a brand management company. With this transaction completed, we can now turn our full focus on the effective management of our existing operations and the development of new business opportunities.

“Ben Kohn, Managing Partner of Rizvi Traverse’s Los Angeles Office, stated: “We are pleased to partner with Mr. Hefner and Mr. Flanders as this legendary brand enters a new chapter. We believe this team has the right strategy and vision, and now the right ownership structure, to fully realize its potential.”

Lazard is acting as financial advisor and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is acting as legal counsel to Playboy Enterprises. Raine Securities LLC is acting as financial advisor and Kaye Scholer LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Special Committee. Moelis & Company LLC is acting as financial advisor and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP is acting as legal counsel to Mr. Hefner.  Jefferies & Company, Inc. is acting as financial advisor and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is acting as legal counsel to Rizvi Traverse.

USA, Los Angeles, CA

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Max Media Group has acquired http://www.PatriotsTV.com, an investigative reporting-focused company providing the latest news about Homeland Security, America’s Most Wanted Terrorists, and the 9-11 conspiracy.

James Grady CEO of MXMI. stated, “Wes and http://www.patriotstv.com brings a valuable asset in our news and information division. Wes’ contacts both domestic and abroad give him access to very high level officials that enable him to create exclusive breaking news in the fight against terrorism. This acquisition is another example of our business model and how we will continue to grow. We seek companies and content producers to add value to our growing media network! ”

Wesley T. Rodgers founder of PatriotsTV stated, “I am excited to be part of the Max Media team! After lengthy conversations with Jim about the MXMI plan I was convinced that we share the same vision about how news and information will be presented and consumed. The ability to combine the written word with pictures and video surely is the future in journalism. ”

Additionally, Grady addressed recent activity regarding MXMI share structure and shareholders concerns by stating, “There has been speculation amongst shareholders that the Company issued stock and sold shares. The increase in our float was caused by removal of a restrictive legend on shares issued for an acquisition 14 months ago. The acquisition was for Twenty (20) Million shares and the shares have been held well past the 12 month required holding period. The Company has not nor does it intend to participate in any so-called death spiral or “free-trading” share-based financings. Any issuance of securities will be under Rule 144 for both acquisitions and or potential financings. Consultants, employees and other third party providers will also only receive stock under Rule 144. “

Grady continued, “We value our shares and the role they play in our acquisition strategy. With all the acquisition opportunities before us and that we are in the final stages of completing, it would not be in the Company’s best interest to do anything destructive to our share structure. It is our intent to continue on an aggressive, shareholder-friendly growth strategy to fuel our revenue model.

USA, Palm Harbor, FL

TechCrunch is reporting that Disney has acquired Togetherville, a social online community for families where parents create safe online neighborhoods for their kids (under 10) to play and connect with the real-life friends and family they already know and trust.

Togetherville mimics adult social networks in a kid-appropriate way. Each neighborhood is built around each specific child and remains closed to outsiders. Kids have their own profile pages, complete with their photos.

TechCrunch were were tipped off on the acquisition by one of their readers. Togetherville’s terms of service states: “Welcome to the Internet sites of the Walt Disney Internet Group (“WDIG”). “WDIG Sites” include Disney.com, ABCNEWS.com, ABC.com, ESPN.com, DisneyShopping.com, Go.com, Movies.com, FamilyFun.com, and other Internet sites on which these terms of use are posted.” TechCrunch also report another clue, CEO and founder Mandeep Dhillon’s LinkedIn profile,  states he is “Vice President, Togetherville at The Walt Disney Company.”

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USA, Burbank, CA & Menlo Park, CA

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• Disney acquires Tapulous, a developer of music games for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch Posted on July 2, 2010
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Mediabistro.com (a division of WebMediaBrands) has acquired the assets of the Twittercism.com blog from Shea Bennett. Mr. Bennett will continue working with and writing for Mediabistro. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“Shea Bennett has been covering Twitter for over two years on Twittercism and we will now combine his well-known analysis and commentary with our blog AllTwitter to create what we believe to be the most complete coverage of the evolution of Twitter and its rapidly expanding social media business model,” stated Alan M. Meckler, Chairman and CEO of WebMediaBrands. “We are excited to continue building on our leadership in covering the huge growth of social media through our various social media blogs including AllFacebook, SocialTimes, and AllTwitter, as well as our SocialTimesPro research service and social media events.”

USA, New York, NY

Related articles:

• WebMediaBrands acquires the Semantic Technology Conference and Semantic Universe Blog Posted on September 24, 2010
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• WebMediaBrands acquires tradeshow business 3rd Power Posted on January 5, 2010
• WebMediaBrands acquires Social Times Incorporated Posted on December 11, 2009