Three Publishers Buy Into Topix.net
Posted on March 24, 2005
InternetNews.com reports that three major publishing companies Gannett, Knight Ridder, and Tribune Company have each purchased a 25% stake in Topix.net, the popular news aggregator. Topix.net says it has 150,000 topically based, micro-news pages presenting stories from more than 10,000 web sources. Topix.net says it does not have human editors which has been one criticism made of services like Topix.net that run on feeds and algorithms. The deal could be good for both parties.
For the news publishers it gives them a quick entry into the rapidly changing news business that has been flooded with new sources like blogs and online news website RSS feeds. For Topix.net it gives them some prestigious business partners as well as some well-needed cash in what will likely become a huge battle for marketshare as more news aggregators emerge in 2005 and 2006.
