Penthouse Media Group buys Various, Inc.
 

Penthouse Buys Group of Social-Networking Sites

By ANDREW MARTIN
Published: December 12, 2007
While the influx of free and low-cost video has hurt the sale of pornographic videos, the chief executive of the Penthouse Media Group remains so bullish on the sex-related entertainment industry that he is investing $500 million in a group of social networking sites.

Marc H. Bell, chief executive of Penthouse Media, said the company had acquired Various Inc. and its subsidiaries as part of a plan to expand its reach. Various operates more than 25 networking sites and says it has a member base of more than 260 million consumers, about 1.2 million of them paying subscribers.

The combined revenue of both companies is projected to be $340 million in 2007.

Various?s most popular Web site is adultfriendfinder, which describes itself as a personals community for swingers and sex. But Various owns a variety of other social networks like Italianfriendfinder.com, gradfinder.com and bigchurch.com, which offers to help users ?meet people who share the same spiritual beliefs as you.?

?For now, we are holding on to everything,? Mr. Bell said. He said the goal was to provide consumers, particularly 18-to-34-year-old men, with a wide variety of sex-related offerings in magazines, in videos and online.

?The rationale here is, it?s an online world,? Mr. Bell said.

Full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/te...ss&oref=slogin

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Nice sale AFF, congrats!

I wonder how much attention this will get in the mainstream media.

I wonder how many threads will be made about it on gfy today. :1orglaugh

I'm more concerned about the amount of "zango" screamers in any of those threads

Whatever about "mainstream media" i'm sure plenty of people in the business community will be sitting up and taking note of what's been sold and the amount involved. I can imagine more than a few will be taking a closer look at the adult online world with a view to investing.

Get yer business plans ready!! :)

So does this mean ya guys are going to be pulling penthouse links now?

Big Bucks

Probably just cancel their subscription

already noticed in other threads

I told you one month ago

fucking-around-and-business-discussion/785363-aff-bought-penthouse.html