We're being sold. Again. Maybe.

[Garfield226]

Sun-Times parent to buy Chicago Reader for $3 million.

I suppose it's possible that it doesn't include this site. I don't really know. Just sort of news potentially about the site that folks might be interested in.

[Drunky Smurf]

Damn. I guess my bid of tree-fiddy wasn't high enough.

[TubaDiva]

Dunno yet. Don't know anything yet.

And the sale is not yet final.

Don't worry unless/until we have something to worry about.

You can always panic/worry later on.

Stay tuned for further developments.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Meet you guys on Fathom.

Maybe.
Or not.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Will I get to keep my stock options?

[billfish678]

I feel like one of those sleazy biker bitches "owned" by the Hell's Angels (well, maybe the Pee Wee Herman's version of the Hell's Angels).

[TubaDiva]

Originally Posted by Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor

Meet you guys on Fathom.

Maybe.
Or not.

?? Why?

[Diceman]

I'm wondering what interest they'd have in keeping the Straight Dope running. If the Sun-Times' owners decide that this site isn't worth the bandwidth...

[TubaDiva]

Why would they do that? Can't say what they would or won't do but common sense should tell you a media company (this is Sun-Times MEDIA, after all), they're looking for content. This is content. It's meat, lots of material, a thriving message board. What's not to like?

Even under the current circumstances, the site is profitable. Not Apple profitable, obviously, but the site is not losing money, neither.

Like I said, don't panic until you have something to panic about. At this point we have zero information -- might be a good thing, might be a terrible thing, might be nothing at all. It's not even a done deal, it's barely more than a rumor. Anything more, we don't know.

You can always freak out when there's something to freak out over. Anything now is premature. Sit tight and wait for further developments. Right now you know as much as we do.

[Siam Sam]

Sixteen Tons keeps running through my head.

[TubaDiva]

Hey, I been at this lathe for the last 16 years. (Yikes!)

[Little Nemo]

Originally Posted by TubaDiva

Don't worry unless/until we have something to worry about.

You can always panic/worry later on.

But if we wait until the last minute, we'll end up having to panic twice as hard in order to catch up.

[billfish678]

I'm buying two towels. Just sayin.

[Happy Lendervedder]

I don't care what anyone says, I am going to freak out right now, and then I am going to panic so hard. You just try and stop me and I will punch this kitten right in the mouth.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Originally Posted by Diceman

I'm wondering what interest they'd have in keeping the Straight Dope running. If the Sun-Times' owners decide that this site isn't worth the bandwidth...

I peer into my crystal ball to see the future, and I see nothing but skellingtons! Skellingtons on fire!

[RaftPeople]

Originally Posted by TubaDiva

This is content.

I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there

[Musicat]

I think it's time to seriously think about going independent. Seriously. Donations accepted. Seriously.

[Ed Zotti]

Originally Posted by Diceman

I'm wondering what interest they'd have in keeping the Straight Dope running. If the Sun-Times' owners decide that this site isn't worth the bandwidth...

Don't worry about it. As of today, straightdope.com is #830 on the Quantcast top U.S. websites list, with 2.6 million unique visitors/month. (Google shows us at 3.9 million; don't know why the disparity - supposedly these are both global figures.) Suntimes.com is #630, with 2.4 million UVs/mo. Assuming minimal overlap (safe bet), combined UVs are 5 million, which puts the company overall at #250 or so, just ahead of cbs.com. So by buying us the S-T turns itself into a much bigger online player.

[Jake]

Thanks Ed, for that. It's good to see that you're keeping that closely in touch with the pulse of this board.

[Revtim]

Originally Posted by Ed Zotti

As of today, straightdope.com is #830 on the Quantcast top U.S. websites list

This is pretty awesome, IMHO. There's millions and millions of websites, and the SD is in the top 1000. That's nothing to sneeze at.

[Crazyhorse]

I heard a rumor that if the deal goes through we're all getting stock options based on our post counts.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by Crazyhorse

I heard a rumor that if the deal goes through we're all getting stock options based on our post counts.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

[IvoryTowerDenizen]

Originally Posted by Crazyhorse

I heard a rumor that if the deal goes through we're all getting stock options based on our post counts.

That's

[IvoryTowerDenizen]

Originally Posted by Crazyhorse

I heard a rumor that if the deal goes through we're all getting stock options based on our post counts.

Awesome

[Czarcasm]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

For you, not so much.
1. You're a guest-you don't have a post count.
2. It doesn't matter anyway. You got traded away to the ancestry.com message board for two genealogists and a spammer to be named later.

[Crazyhorse]

Originally Posted by Czarcasm

For you, not so much.
1. You're a guest-you don't have a post count.

Guests have post counts - they just keep them off the main display for tax reasons.

But I did hear that mods and former mods are exempt due to the generous compensation packages they already receive.

[Quasimodem]

One word: Shit!

A few other words: Yes, let's PLEASE go independent. This is ridiculous and reminds me of the short time I worked at Lockheed in support of the C5B. We were constantly being fed layoff rumors, and worried every day if it would be our last.

Sorry, y'all. I know that's not a good (what?) simile (is that right?), but I hate that this keeps hanging over our heads.

This place is my lifeline. Please let's save it if we can.

Bill

[RaftPeople]

Originally Posted by Czarcasm

2. It doesn't matter anyway. You got traded away to the ancestry.com message board for two genealogists and a spammer to be named later.

This was funny.

I think you could have even taken it further:
"You got traded away to ancestry.com for two keyboards and a spammer to be named later."

[Quasimodem]

I know I'm totally biased and have been corrected when I called the SDMB "the number one" discussion board in the world, but why couldn't it be? Why not spend a few bucks and advertise ourselves? I know we show ads to non-members in the form of banners, but hell, let's buy some "air time" and work toward becoming independent?

That said, I know y'all must be getting tired of reading my drivel about how important this place (and you) are to me, and please overlook it if you want to. I'm just trying to make suggestions and being proactive. Just as I'm being proactive about the "other" thing.

Quasi

[Jake]

No Quasi, we're Not Getting tired of you. I feel the same about the boards as you and I'm sure many others. Keep on keepin' on!

[Measure for Measure]

Originally Posted by Quasimodem

I know I'm totally biased and have been corrected when I called the SDMB "the number one" discussion board in the world, but why couldn't it be? Why not spend a few bucks and advertise ourselves? I know we show ads to non-members in the form of banners, but hell, let's buy some "air time" and work toward becoming independent?

Be careful of what you wish for. The feel of the board would change a lot if the membership doubled.

That said, I've wondered why a clever entrepreneur hasn't pushed the PSA model for internet advertising. Enthusiast A could donate to nonprofit B, to run ads on the SDMB on behalf of nonprofit C. Or more aggressively, A could pay for SDMB ads at Huffpo, TPM or other favored for-profit.

At any rate, I trust that the board will have some sort of home given the number of satellite boards. And I still opine that this asset presents an opportunity for somebody creative to make money hand over fist, though admittedly I have only vague ideas about how to go about doing that.

[Rhythmdvl]

A more realistic fear is not selling so much, but that afterwards the new owners will jump the shark. Have you seen that abomination of a Web site lately? It used to be awesome, but now look at it: jumptheshark.com

[mister nyx]

Originally Posted by Ed Zotti

Don't worry about it. As of today, straightdope.com is #830 on the Quantcast top U.S. websites list, with 2.6 million unique visitors/month. (Google shows us at 3.9 million; don't know why the disparity - supposedly these are both global figures.) Suntimes.com is #630, with 2.4 million UVs/mo. Assuming minimal overlap (safe bet), combined UVs are 5 million, which puts the company overall at #250 or so, just ahead of cbs.com. So by buying us the S-T turns itself into a much bigger online player.

Uh, that's stupid. The Sun-Times group has a whole hell of a lot more websites than Suntimes.com. Dozens of others, at least. And assuredly at least some of the are more valuable that the Straight Dope. (If not, this place is on life support and those few folks who are actual employees here ought to update their résumés.)

And even pretending your math weren't just idiotically desperate, let me point out that CBS.com is where they are making people watch their online content. The idea that this place plus the Chicago Sun-Times equals The Big Bang Theory is just freaking ludicrous. I'm about to cry after reading something that desperate.

[Ed Zotti]

Originally Posted by mister nyx

Uh, that's stupid. The Sun-Times group has a whole hell of a lot more websites than Suntimes.com. Dozens of others, at least. And assuredly at least some of the are more valuable that the Straight Dope. (If not, this place is on life support and those few folks who are actual employees here ought to update their résumés.)

Suntimes.com is the umbrella for all the company's websites, including its regional daily papers and suburban weeklies. No claim was made regarding the relative value of these sites. One would certainly hope Suntimes.com is making more money than Straightdope.com.

And even pretending your math weren't just idiotically desperate, let me point out that CBS.com is where they are making people watch their online content. The idea that this place plus the Chicago Sun-Times equals The Big Bang Theory is just freaking ludicrous. I'm about to cry after reading something that desperate.

Calm yourself. I merely point out that, if and when Straightdope.com is brought under the Suntimes.com umbrella, the latter will rise considerably higher in the Quantcast ranking, which is based primarily on unique visitors. One might devise a different ranking using other metrics. I notice, for example, that the Sun-Times operates something called the Chicago Region-Wide Network (CRWN), which claims 37 million page views per month. Straightdope.com gets only 11 million PVs per month.

At any rate, there is reason to think that ST.com + SD.com will rank somewhere around cbs.com in the Quantcast ranking, should consolidation occur. This is not to say the stars of the two companies will shine equally brightly in the media firmament. I note, for example, that snopes.com ranks #217 on the Quantcast list. I love snopes, but no one would claim it overshadows CBS.

[TubaDiva]

http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader...uys-the-reader

Once again, this is no cause for panic.

Things will go on as usual unless/until they don't. (This is true of many situations in life, not just here.) Until that time comes (if indeed it does come), we'll deal with it then, so in the meantime don't fret yourself.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by Crazyhorse

I heard a rumor that if the deal goes through we're all getting stock options based on our post counts.

Rumor, with it's idle tongue.

[Rhythmdvl]

Holy cow, less than three million for the whole kit and caboodle? I wish I knew that beforehand; could have made good on a lot of the promise of the board.

I know there are a lot of splinter boards. Would it be kosher to start a 'where to go in case of emergency' thread?

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

Would it be kosher to start a 'where to go in case of emergency' thread?

Cool.

[Dallas Jones]

This is how Jim Kirk makes his money, moves to Iowa, has an annoying great-grandson named after him, who is later encouraged to get off the planet!

It's so clear to me now.

[akennett]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

Holy cow,...Would it be kosher to start a 'where to go in case of emergency' thread?

Only if you don't serve it with cheese.

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by TubaDiva

Until that time comes (if indeed it does come), we'll deal with it then, so in the meantime don't fret yourself.

Besides, you'd look silly with frets.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

I know there are a lot of splinter boards. Would it be kosher to start a 'where to go in case of emergency' thread?

Since we're asking people not to panic and there's no reason whatsoever to think that'll be necessary now or any time in the future, maybe you'd be willing to hold off?

[TubaDiva]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

Holy cow, less than three million for the whole kit and caboodle? I wish I knew that beforehand; could have made good on a lot of the promise of the board.

I know there are a lot of splinter boards. Would it be kosher to start a 'where to go in case of emergency' thread?

I would think if anything happened you'd know, or you'd find out pretty quickly.

Again, why are you so sure this means the demise of anything?

[Rhythmdvl]

Originally Posted by Irishman

Besides, you'd look silly with frets.

Are you sure?




No problem holding off. Not sure of anything--except that the unexpected happens all the time. Again, look at jumptheshark.com for just one example of what could go wrong.

[Brainiac4]

I think this is good news. Creative Loafing has been unsure of where to fit the SDMB into its overall portfolio. As Ed points out, the SDMB is a good-sized web property with a nice combination of revenue and content. Sun-Times will have no reason to shut it down, and many reasons to keep it going.

The only thing to worry about, IMO, is tonal change, and at would be foolish on the pat of the Sun-Times. You don't fix what ain't broke.

[TubaDiva]

With all the many outlets available -- including the splinter boards -- I would think there would be no end of places to go and things to do.

For right now, however, it doesn't appear to be an issue.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Brainiac4

I think this is good news. Creative Loafing has been unsure of where to fit the SDMB into its overall portfolio. As Ed points out, the SDMB is a good-sized web property with a nice combination of revenue and content. Sun-Times will have no reason to shut it down, and many reasons to keep it going.

I think that's a sensible analysis.

The only thing to worry about, IMO, is tonal change, and at would be foolish on the pat of the Sun-Times. You don't fix what ain't broke.

Then again, nothing about the forum changed (or was ordered to change) as part of any of the previous sales.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

The article didn't even mention the Straight Dope, much less our Message Board. Or more tellingly, me.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by TubaDiva

Again, why are you so sure this means the demise of anything?

Because G-d hates me.
Sorry to drag all of you into this.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Originally Posted by carnivorousplant

Because G-d hates me.
Sorry to drag all of you into this.

She doesn't hate you, but she tells me she thinks you're a bit of a drama queen. that's all.