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Tag: Mike Jones

  • MySpace CEO Admits Sale, Merger, Spinoff Possibilities

    In an attempt to increase its appeal, homeowners often clean, repaint, and recarpet a house before trying to sell it.  And similarly, following a talk by CEO Mike Jones, it’s starting to look more and more like a significant overhaul and major layoffs at MySpace are geared towards helping News Corp. get rid of the property.

    This doesn’t quite count as breaking news; in early November, Chase Carey, the COO of News Corp., indicated that MySpace’s losses "are not acceptable or sustainable."  We then speculated that layoffs, a sale, or even a shutdown might occur.

    Also, to be clear, nothing’s been decided (or at least officially announced) just yet.

    Mike JonesStill, a MySpace spokesperson told Andy Fixmer and Sarah Rabil after Jones held a company-wide meeting, "News Corp. is assessing a number of possibilities including a sale, a merger and a spinout."

    This situation will definitely bear watching.  Despite having fallen behind Facebook, MySpace still commands a large audience, so a lot of people will be affected.  Bands, in particular, continue to make use of the site, meaning how folks find and listen to music online might change.

    We shouldn’t forget about MySpace’s remaining 500 or so employees, either.

  • MySpace’s CEO Out

    Owen Van Natta, who only joined MySpace in April of last year, will no longer serve as its CEO.  Reports indicate that he’s in fact been fired, and MySpace has at least confirmed that Jason Hirschhorn and Mike Jones, who reported to Van Natta, are becoming co-presidents.

    Owen Van NattaThis series of developments comes as a big surprise.  Just one week ago, rumor had it that Hirschhorn might leave MySpace due to tension with Van Natta.  But according to Kara Swisher, News Corp. Chief Digital Officer Jon Miller then became involved, and after talking to all three men, wound up sacking the CEO.

    So let’s discuss MySpace’s new co-presidents.  Before becoming MySpace’s chief product officer, Hirschhorn filled executive positions at both Sling Media and MTV.  Jones founded Userplane prior to becoming MySpace’s chief operating officer, and also worked for AOL following an acquisition.

    Both men have done well at MySpace, too.  Miller stated with respect to Van Natta’s semi-replacements (remember the difference in titles), "Mike and Jason have demonstrated true leadership in their operational and product guidance, respectively, and I have the utmost confidence in both of them to lead MySpace into its next chapter."

    Hirschhorn and Jones said, "We joined MySpace last April with very a specific set of goals in mind, and are anxious to continue working together to make those goals a reality.  This business is now pointed in the right direction, and we have a great team of employees that will continue to push MySpace closer to its potential as the place where people go to be discovered and to discover great content."