< Any chance of google taking over LOK? > was what Mikey_ asked...

< Any chance of google taking over LOK? > was what Mikey_ asked over elsewhere??? I REPLIED:

On the surface, it would seem one of the most logical things, Google should do. Google have over $9 Billion in cash ATM and Looksmart, with a market cap of just $113M would not be an expensive purchase, IF it was for sale. And I say IF, for a number of reasons.

The CEO of Looksmart has said on a few ocassions, "Looksmart are NOT for sale". (In taking on the job, he has moved his family, "lock, stock & barrel" from their home in New York across to San Francisco and it's hard to imagine that his job was only about "dressing the Co up a little", for an eventual sale). But he did mention within a CC THAT he wouldn't discount a merger or, something to that effect ..... (similar, I recall).

Looksmart were then strongly "linked" with Newscorp (mid 2005) when Rupert Murdoch let it be known that NWS were ....... "talking of buying a "controlling stake" in a search engine, (WERE HIS VERY WORDS), in an interview. At this stage, there we not enough shares available in Looksmart, for that to occur. Looksmart then carried out a "reverse split" of 1 - 5 and suddenly, their 200 Million (maximum) number of permissable shares that could be issued, were now showing just over 22M, as being issued!! It, (IF a buy-in from NWS, could/should it be "on"), now becomes achievable.

What I am saying is, LOOK are not for sale! - But, why would NWS be interested in only buying a "controlling stake" in a search engine, if this was not the very reason, that they have to do it, this way??? (They have $2B to "spend" !!)

A close follower of Looksmart even said, (at the time) ....."we will either be acquired or, someone like Rupert Murdoch will take a major stake". I'm not so sure about being acquired, though, as I have reasoned above. From a CC (following a Newscorp report), when asked the question as to what he was doing in relation to search, his reply came: (Nov 11 2005)

'On Search' ??? Rupert replied, (to a querry on whether he could update on the possible deal mentioned in july) .."AHhh That has not been consumated" was his reply ... He then goes on with..."the one we were talking about is in fact, still in play" .... Then, following a slight pause, he says: "It was more to do with video search than ..." (Referring to Blinkz a video search Co they were also rumoured to buy, I feel & to get listeners off the scent) and when pressed, he then said "there are a lot of things happening but all are too sensitive, at this stage but I will say it was nothing big in terms of money" - (NWS did not go ahead with a purchase of Blinkz but since, now have a "deal" with them in the UK). He then summed it up with ..."We are a major project at it's very beginning.....We have a lot to do to intergrate all our sites, establishing a common navigation system"

On Oct 30th, (in a fortune.com interview), Rupert Murdoch said ..... "As we said, the grand plan is a work in progress"

On 6th of november, I wrote:

An investment of $250M by NEWS would see them buy some 33.33M shares from Looksmart to get that 'controlling interest', IF it's 'on'. LOOK currently have a little over 22M shares, since the reverse split last week. (NEWS would then hold 60% of issued shares. Surely enough for that 'controlling stake' as Rupert had spoke of, when he mentioned this, during the NEWS Q2 release.

On, Nov. 11th, I reported Rupert Murdoch saying:

"We're putting together a major network, if you like, of sites on the internet," & just two days ago, he had commented: "Whether we decide to call it a portal or a network, we don't know."

And, anyone who doubts the dramatic growth in Looksmart's FindArticles ( a "base" for current & future Vertical search sites) has "rocks in their head" .......

It was around August 23rd, when it was noted HERE ON THIS THREAD, that ........

"There are 688,000 results for a "Proquest Looksmart", (Google) search"

A check of this LINK (once again) will see where some of the growth of articles (now over 10M) into Looksmart's FindArticles and their new Vertical's, are (& will continue), coming....

from.http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=p...art&btnG=Search

YES, It has now grown to about 1,880,000 or, nearly by nearly 3 times!! Since august!!!

__________________________________________________

I have just checked that "link", above ......and ......

Results 1 - 10 of about 3,170,000 for proquest looksmart. Yes, it's now grown to OVER, 3M articles!!!

And who do Proquest look after?? (Click on newspapers & magazines, here)

http://www.pqarchiver.com/

http://www.pqarchiver.com/n_home.html?type=n and .... http://www.pqarchiver.com/m_home.html?type=m

And, it was "enjoy" (thanks), who posted this, here on OZE ...

NEWSPAPERS have no future without online and digital services, media executives heard at a World Association of Newspapers meeting in Madrid.

"We are getting the whole organisation ready for a digital future," said Simon Waldman, director of digital publishing at Guardian Newspapers, whose Guardian Unlimited site is by far the most popular British newspaper online site, ahead of The Sun, The Times and The Telegraph.

Within "six to seven years", the group planned to dedicate 80 per cent of its time to digital activities, compared to 20 per cent at present, Mr Waldman told the conference, entitled Beyond the Printed Word.

I hope that answers your "Google buys Looksmart", thoughts, well enough, Mike_ .......But, ONLY mho, of course!!

Cheers !!

:)

LC