This tidbit on Ziff Davis in Japan is interesting. Softbank seems to be consolidating an octopus like grip on just about every aspect of the internet in Japan. I've always thought that ZD had more utility for Softbank than just financial contributions. ZD is the pipeline for information and intelligence:
Friday, January 14, 2000
Softbank, Ziff To Team Up In Internet Data Distribution
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Softbank Corp. (9984) will team up with U.S. subsidiary Ziff-Davis Inc. to establish an online data distribution venture in Japan.
The two companies will launch by the end of this month a new firm called Softbank ZDNet Inc., with capital of 300 million yen. Softbank Publishing Inc., Softbank's wholly owned unit, will hold a 60% stake in the new company. ZDNet, Ziff-Davis' news distribution division, will take a 30% stake, with the remaining 10% to be held by Yahoo Japan Corp. (4689).
The new firm will be headed by Toshiki Otsuki, manager of the Internet division at Softbank Publishing. It will provide via the Internet the content of magazines published by Softbank, as well as information on start-up firms planning to debut on Nasdaq-Japan, a new stock market scheduled to be launched by Softbank and others in June.
Softbank has been selling off unprofitable operations at Ziff-Davis since last summer, but it will upgrade the alliance with its U.S. subsidiary in the Internet business, which it considers one of the key strategic areas.
(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition) |
