meanwhile back at the ranch, page-2

Hey Oscar,

Those mid-level online communities are going to prosper, and if you have a group of them - as Destra does somewhat - then it's easier to make them profitable through advertising sales across all sites based on aggregated viewing figures.

But, Destra probably isn't in a position to start them. They're invariably started by people inside the scene, who grow them organically. At the moment, Destra is out of the game when it comes to buying websites.

If you're interested, have a look at www.messandnoise.com, which Destra acquired in January. The relevant community is alternative music, and it has exceptional turnover in terms of visitors and forum posts. The place jumps.

Compare with the recent Fairfax start-up www.thevine.com.au, which is trying for the same feel (and uses some former messandnoise people). Big spend, but little more than tumbleweeds.