Business & Tech

Editor's Note: Huffington Post Acquired by Patch's Parent Company AOL

Deal forms media company with reach of 270 million people worldwide.

There was lots of excitement and editorial conference calls yesterday regarding the regarding the acquisition the influential news website The Huffington Post. by Patch's parent company, AOL. 

Patch is owned by AOL, and the deal means Arianna Huffington, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post and a huge fan of Patch, will become editorial director as president and editor in chief of Huffington Post Media Group

The $315 million deal was sealed at the Superbowl halftime on Sunday. Patch will be integrated along with AOL brands including TechCrunch, Engadget, AutoBlog, and Moviefone.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Its is a bold move for AOL Chairman and CEO, Tim Armstrong, who has worked to re-establish the company as an indispensible content destination online since its separation from Time Warner in 2009.

The combination of the Huffington Post and subsequent formation of the Huffington Media company will create a new media group that reaches 117 million Americans and 270 million globally. The term "game changer" came up often in the description of the media deal. 

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"The acquisition of The Huffington Post will create a next-generation American media company with global reach that combines content, community, and social experiences for consumers," Armstrong said.

I believe this acquisition will mean great things for Patch. The HuffPost has grown from a small start-up to a powerful destination that attracts 25 million readers, and is masterful at cultivating online community.

For entrepreneurs on the web, and women in journalism, it is also a key moment to cherish.  I will keep you informed as I learn more.

See the full news release from AOL here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here