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MediaMemo

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Here Comes the Video Shakeout: Joost Scales Down, CEO Mike Volpi Steps Out

volpiHere’s the beginning of the inevitable online video shakeout: Joost, the once-hyped video service that was supposed to rival Google’s YouTube, is restructuring to focus on “white label” services, i.e., a back end for other video players.

The site is laying off the majority of its 100-plus employees, and CEO Mike Volpi is out, replaced by Matt Zelesko, who had been SVP of engineering.

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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

VCs Closed Their Checkbooks Last Month

The myth of professional investors like venture capitalists is that they’re not like us: They’re smarter, they can see around corners, and they’re bold when we are quivering. Or maybe they’re just like us: When their 401ks gets crushed in a once-in-a-lifetime market rout, they think twice before writing another check. That appears to have happened in October, when VCs spent less money, on fewer companies, than they have in years.

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About Peter

Peter Kafka has been covering media and technology since 1997, when he joined the staff of Forbes magazine. Most recently, he has been the managing editor of the tech and media Web site, Silicon Alley Insider. Read more »

Ethics Statement

Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.

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