Blognetwork PaidContent acquired by The Guardian for an impressive $30 million

Wow, I think I’ll keep blogging for a while. Apparently these online publications can be the start of a small fortune, as blog network PaidContent has been acquired by (former-)traditional media player The Guardian for the sweet sum of 30 million dollars. How’s that for four blogs – PaidContent.org, MocoNews (mobile), ContentSutra (India), and PaidContent UK?

$ 1 million a year with advertisment

PaidContent.org publisher Rafat Ali

The blog network started in 2002, providing start-up, M&A, and funding news – often as the first publication. It attracts B2B service providers as advertisers, who together pay around $1 million annually for the ads – reported Business 2.0 magazine in 2006. Stimulated by these high advertisement revenues, PaidContent hired the former head of DowJones and Yahoo Finance to run the blog company.

The Guardian focusing on possibilities

The acquiring party in this deal is working on an impressive track record of adoptions to the new digital age. With The London Guardian as its claim-to-fame and honor, The Guardian Media Group has a traditional image – yet it’s modernizing its business structure in an incredible pace. Earlier this year, they asked former Yahoo Developer Network head Matt McAlister to set up a developer network. The Guardian has also been running the well-known FreeOurData.org.uk campaign, promoting data portability.

The Guardian is a rare kind of media company, namely one that focuses on the new possibilities of the digital era, instead of trying to stop the inevitable developments – like Copiepresse does. This Belgium newspaper company has been really busy lately with suing companies like Google. I recommend that these folks take a work trip to London to learn how the new world of publishing looks like.