So is this appears to be the end of Buzz18 as a standalone website: the Web18 owned entertainment focused portal which was launched in 2007 is now called IBN Movies, and has been integrated with one of the companys key news portals: IBNLive.
Buzz18 was a part of Network18s three year long flurry of launches, when it launched, invested in or acquired (then revamped) EasyMF.com, cricketnext.com, compareindia.com, homeshop18.com, bookmyshow.com, josh18.com, awaaz karobar, IBN Khabar, buzz18.com, poweryourtrade.com, indiwo.com, tech2.com, biztech2.com, indiaearnings.com, storeguru.com, blish.in.com, and eventually the big bet with in.com.
Since then, StoreGuru has been integrated with in.com, and eventually replaced entirely with services from Homeshop18; EasyMF has been integrated with MoneyControl, and now Buzz18, which should ideally serve as excellent foil for BookMyShow, is IBN Movies. I wouldn’t be surprised if Josh18 and IBN Khabar are eventually merged as well.
I had never been in favour of this portal launching frenzy (had said as much two years ago), and believed that the company would find it difficult to scale and market each and every portal; it takes time and focus to adapt portals to consumer needs, and for consumers to make certain portals a habit. But as then as a senior Web18 exec had said in the comments at that time, perhaps this online big media play is beyond my comprehension…
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2 Comments until now.
Well, they'd got into the portal game (post moneycontrol & IBNlive) with the stated aim of going public in 2 years with a valuation of $500 mln – this is from Haresh Chawla (not on media). I guess such focussed objectives, though admirable for their clarity, may not always yield much by way of results :-)
Nice Dig… at the time we were driven to hit a certain valuation within a certain timeframe, its always a gamble, the name of the game is to keep innovating and do your best while your at it, you don't shy away from going with your gut even if it means sometimes you fail.. ask Mr Jobs. truth be told I wish they all worked but as you pointed out its difficult to grow multiple brands into market leaders it requires sustained effort, investment, a whole lot of passion and a little bit of luck. the realization did come much earlier on as is evident with the consolidation within in.com in 2008.