I think I will just post this, while watching Beliefnet for more information.
Sit down, folks.
FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ACQUIRES BELIEFNET
World’s Largest Spiritual Web Site Joins News Corporation Family
Fox Digital Media to Oversee Business as Part of Expanded Role
Los Angeles, CA, December 4, 2007 — Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced its acquisition of Beliefnet, a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith and build diverse spiritual communities by providing content and tools for a broad range of religions and spiritual approaches. Beliefnet, the largest online faith and spirituality destination, will become part of Fox Digital Media, spearheaded by President Dan Fawcett, which takes on an expanded role to support FEG’s vast cable, TV and film brands online, and drive FEG’s continued growth in the online market.
The acquisition provides Beliefnet with vast resources to further build and enhance its already popular brand. It also offers an online platform for FEG to distribute content from its extensive media library and for News Corp. to expand its faith-based businesses, including HarperCollins’ Zondervan and HarperOne brands, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s faith-based programming initiative.
Additionally, Beliefnet will provide unique, world-renowned spiritual programming to the company’s various businesses. Beliefnet will also partner closely with Fox Interactive Media, leveraging the group’s world-class technology and “FIM Serve” targeted advertising delivery platform.
“Beliefnet has garnered respect for its commitment to quality, editorial strength and unbiased approach to faith and spirituality from a broad range of consumers, religious and political leaders, journalists and advertisers,” said Dan Fawcett, President of Fox Digital Media. “FEG’s goal is to leverage these characteristics across a broader media canvas and provide programming, production, advertising sales, technology and marketing expertise that will enhance an already terrific product in a rapidly growing market.”
Beliefnet provides devotional tools, access to the best spiritual teachers in the world, thought-provoking commentary and a portfolio of Web-based social networking tools to enable a supportive community surrounding each person’s unique spiritual principles and beliefs. Its insightful and compelling editorial content has been consistently recognized by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the site has received numerous general excellence awards. Beliefnet strives for political and ideological balance and is not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement.
“FEG’s vast resources will enable Beliefnet to expand our audience, enhance our offerings and more effectively carry out our mission to help people find and walk a spiritual path that brings comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness,” said Steven Waldman, Beliefnet’s CEO, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder.
Savvian LLC advised Beliefnet on this transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The Faith and Spirituality market is strong and continues to grow. According to the Pew Internet Project, over 82 million Americans and 64% of all Internet users utilize the Web for faith-related matters. In addition, a division of Marketresearch.com put the demand for religious and spiritually-oriented materials like books, DVDs, software, etc. at well beyond $8 billion.
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Comments (17) |
December 4, 2007, at 11:18 am
Beliefnet: the new official web organ of Zondervan and Fox Faith Films?
Looks like Get Religion is in Rupert Murdoch’s “Blog Heaven” now.
December 4, 2007, at 11:49 am
“… a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith…”
Consumers?
December 4, 2007, at 12:00 pm
[…] Get Religion just posted that Beliefnet has been acquired by Fox Entertainment. […]
December 4, 2007, at 12:12 pm
We’ll see but my first impression is that the impact will be the of a similar kind if the Democratic National Committee bought Fox news. I don’t see a snowball’s chance in the sun that beliefnet won’t become very commercial and tilt way to the right in their emphasis. The commercial aspect was caught very nicely by Dennis’ observation about the use of the word consumer.
December 4, 2007, at 12:51 pm
*sigh*
December 4, 2007, at 1:10 pm
Please tell me this is from either Lark News or the Onion.
December 4, 2007, at 1:36 pm
I think this is a smart move for FOX. They’ve got a really good chance to dip into the tithe plate here. Hopefully, they’ll accept EFTs - it’s so much more convenient.
December 4, 2007, at 2:32 pm
Interesting comment by Rod Dreher over at his Beliefnet.com blog:
December 4, 2007, at 3:33 pm
Yes, Murdoch and co. have such a “hands off” attitude towards the media outlets it runs. I can’t see any conflicts of interest arising in B-Net’s future. The issue isn’t that Murdoch will immediately say “you must run this or that story”, or “you can’t profile this or that person”, but will instead come in the form of “suggestions” handed down from on high on who to hire, and what content he would like to see appear. If you don’t think his preferences won’t “trickle down” (which has happened with MySpace), I have a delightful bridge I’d like to sell you.
December 4, 2007, at 4:03 pm
I could imagine that Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who acquired 5.46% (or more now?) of Murdoch’s company, would be pleased with this acquisition from a faith/religious perspective as well.
December 4, 2007, at 6:38 pm
Hey, tmatt, when ya gonna do that Initial Public Offering of GR?
I could only be more astounded if The Christian Science Monitor had been acquired by the Vatican. (Of course, “there wouldn’t be any changes to the Monitor’s editorial independence, or to their fine product.”
~eric.
December 4, 2007, at 9:09 pm
The deal is all about capitalism, which many Christians believe is God’s manadated economic system. If so, this seems like a match made in heaven.
December 4, 2007, at 9:35 pm
I check Belief.net when seeking information on points of contact between religions. It is fairly New Age. It attempts to show that all religions are equal vehicles for “salvation” (the term having numerous definitions). It never explores a topic very deeply and is at some points in error.
December 5, 2007, at 8:01 pm
Beliefnet and Murdoch are perfect for each other. I’ve always found the crass commercialism of beliefnet hard to stomach. While writing this, I checked over there and, sure enough, was greeted by an advertisement for a hair loss treatment. Usually it’s an advertisement trying to shame women into buying a fad diet. At least we know that beliefnet will exploit men’s insecurities, too.
Murdoch is nothing if not crass, commercial and exploitive. I predict a happy marriage, with lots of cute $$$ to come.
December 6, 2007, at 11:29 am
Given Fox News incredibly biased, hostile and inaccurate reporting on Asatru recently, I doubt this bodes well for my religion being represented on beliefnet. Until now, beliefnet has had a reasonably good forum for Heathenry, Asatru and Norse Paganism. I suppose we can kiss those forums good bye.
December 7, 2007, at 3:09 pm
Capitalism is about competition and the individual’s success going as far as their effort. It’s not a gateway to Socialism but the enemy of such things. I have never used BeliefNet, but the idea of Fox News running a religious and spiritual networking website is disgusting. Beware. Like all other monopolies out of control or monopolies to be, “We are the Borg, resistance is futile, prepare to be assimilated.” I don’t feel free to avoid the irrational groups like Fox News if they and several others own the largest places on the internet. Instead it feels like we’re shoveling coal into the furnaces of their political and corporate machines. Next we might be shoveling you.
December 13, 2007, at 5:35 pm
[…] Los Angeles, CA, December 4, 2007 — Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced its acquisition of Beliefnet, a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith and build diverse spiritual communities by providing content and tools for a broad range of religions and spiritual approaches. Beliefnet, the largest online faith and spirituality destination, will become part of Fox Digital Media, spearheaded by President Dan Fawcett, which takes on an expanded role to support FEG’s vast cable, TV and film brands online, and drive FEG’s continued growth in the online market. The acquisition provides Beliefnet with vast resources to further build and enhance its already popular brand. It also offers an online platform for FEG to distribute content from its extensive media library and for News Corp. to expand its faith-based businesses, including HarperCollins’ Zondervan and HarperOne brands, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s faith-based programming initiative. Additionally, Beliefnet will provide unique, world-renowned spiritual programming to the company’s various businesses. Beliefnet will also partner closely with Fox Interactive Media, leveraging the group’s world-class technology and “FIM Serve” targeted advertising delivery platform. “Beliefnet has garnered respect for its commitment to quality, editorial strength and unbiased approach to faith and spirituality from a broad range of consumers, religious and political leaders, journalists and advertisers,” said Dan Fawcett, President of Fox Digital Media. “FEG’s goal is to leverage these characteristics across a broader media canvas and provide programming, production, advertising sales, technology and marketing expertise that will enhance an already terrific product in a rapidly growing market.” Beliefnet provides devotional tools, access to the best spiritual teachers in the world, thought-provoking commentary and a portfolio of Web-based social networking tools to enable a supportive community surrounding each person’s unique spiritual principles and beliefs. Its insightful and compelling editorial content has been consistently recognized by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the site has received numerous general excellence awards. Beliefnet strives for political and ideological balance and is not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement. Link here __________________ People are of different spiritual temperaments and therefore will approach God in different ways My Beliefs […]