TechCrunch, a star in the vast AOL galaxy, posts an internal email from AOL president Tim Armstrong to AOL staffers regarding their upcoming restructuring. The gist: Arianna Huffington will rule the galaxy. From the email.
Huffington Post Media Group — Upon closing of the acquisition, we will be forming the Huffington Post Media Group to house all content and local experiences under the editorial leadership of Arianna Huffington, whose new title will be President & Editor-in-Chief. Arianna’s vision is clear: create real-time engagement and enlightenment for our millions of users, while continuing to build a comprehensive source of compelling news, entertainment, information, and opinion. Arianna will drive the content and production cycles for all editorial functions with all editorial staff reporting up through her. (emphasis added)
This move triggered the resignation of David Eun, who was president of AOL Media until today. Now, with liberal Arianna’s new role in mind, take a look at AOL’s international plans.
International – International will become a more important part of the AOL business during 2011 and 2012 as we re-enter markets in our global platforms. The business leaders in The Huffington Post Media Group, Networks Group, Advertising, Consumer Applications & Commerce, and Paid Services will drive global plans in their verticals and be supported by the regional leaders in Europe, Asia, Canada, and Emerging Markets. We want our strategies and operational cadence to be global, but we are counting on strong regional leaders to drive execution and identify regional opportunities for growth. Ned Brody will lead our regional operational planning and analytics as well as run the Networks group. Ned will partner with the vertical business leaders and with international leads in local markets to plan and measure our strategies around the world.
Very interesting, and as they say, developing. AOL is having a big conference call with its satellites this afternoon to discuss the restructuring. The email ends thusly:
We will be holding a call at 12pm EST today to answer any questions you may have.
There is a detailed integration schedule by date and function and we are holding daily meetings with AOLers and The Huffington Post. Once we close the deal, we will send out more information on the overall next steps and hold interim team meetings to make sure everyone is informed and can ask questions.
We can help lead the next phase of the Internet and we will stay on strategy and focus on execution. Let’s make magic – TA
“We can help lead the next phase of the Internet and we will stay on strategy and focus on execution. Let’s make magic “-Tim Armstrong
Good idea!
Why not try disappearing?
Okay…maybe you could saw Arianna in half?
First person with an Arianna as Emperor Palpetine Photoshop gets a Tatler No Prize.
Stop reading my mind…
You know what would be “magic”? Turning me into someone who cares about what ever Ms.Huffington is doing.
AOL would’ve better spent that money on bubble gum and strippers.
Why did you Bother upgrading the Mac Software if you KNEW you were going to block us from the Chatrooms? I i guess we lowly Macintosh scumbags dont matter to you bigwigs at AOL…. I WAS CONSIDERING Switching to a Paid account with you but I will have NOTHING to do with ANY company that dosent care about 100% of its customers… In fact i am currently using a version of AOL from 2005!!!!! If i diddnt HAVE to be on here and in use of the chatrooms i would have NOTHING to do with you or ANY AOL product. And furthermore i would tell anyone who would listen how shotty your customer service is and how you write off ALL USERS who are NOT ON THE ALMIGHTY PC!!!!
I will put it to you as PLAINLY AS I CAN….. Fix your software to include EVERYONE or lose customers…. Im sure you have a boss who dosent want you to lose ANY customers… Much less 48% of all computer users….
WAKE UP!!!