CNN Fails to get IReport.com Live; Oilman Leaves Range, and Other News
There is a lot going on this week and it is only Monday, January 21st 2007. I thought I would catch you up on some of the interesting, totally unrelated things, not in any order of importance. I considered covering each of these items today, but
CNN Markets Domain Name but Fails to Turn It On
Yes, you’re reading that right. CNN bought iReport.com for $750,000 and according to sources they’re actually running commercials or telling people watching CNN to go to iReport.com. I haven’t personally seen CNN mention iReport.com. In any case, apparently the marketing department failed to tell the IT department to actually change the DNS and make the site live. OOPS! Take a look at the screen capture below:

So much for getting the iReport.com website live. Last time I tried, I had a domain name purchased and up and running with content within 15 minutes. At least you could redirect it with a 301 Permanent Redirect to CNN.com in the meantime… Sheesh! (Or, better yet, CNN should redirect it with a 301 Permanent Redirect here to the iReport exchange page.)
Oilman Todd Friesen Leaving Range Online Media
Todd Friesen has announced that he is leaving Range Online Media and going to Visible Technologies. That’s big news in the Search Marketing community.
11 Must Read Social Media Blogs
SEO 2.0 is out with a great post about 11 social media blogs that you need to read. What’s interesting is that I, too, am seeing that many blogs are now changing their focus.

Match.com Goes Grey Hat
Courtesy of Mr. Wolf, Match.com has noticed that there’s a bunch of old-style text on the homepage of Match.com. Wow, that sure does bring back memories of SEO circa 1997.

Watching Sphinn
Maybe it’s just me, but someone has too much time on their hands if you’re spending time watching Sphinn. Sure, it’s useful information to have, and I probably will use the data that they’ve outlined here. I, like the other SEOs, like Sphinn. I guess if you’re going to sphinn something then you ought to be doing it on Thursday.
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Jan 21st 2008
We read an news article about CNN purchasing iReport.com. If we remember correctly, the gentleman that sold it to CNN is a professional domainer (is that the right term?) and has had that URL since something like 1997. It is late, so we might have the facts a bit skewed.
Anyhow, it is a crying shame that CNN couldn’t even have something on the site. Let’s hear it for a large company!
Jan 22nd 2008
It certainly looks like CNN has some serious communication problems! Maybe their just too big a corporation.
The social blog article will come in handy, thanks
Jan 22nd 2008
11 More social media blogs I have to read ?
I was just getting caught up on my 100 SEO blogs!
Thanks!
Jan 23rd 2008
iReport.com now says “Site under construction. Stay tuned!”
A bit of hash up somewhere along the lines I think.
Jan 23rd 2008
That is too funny that CNN forget to turn on iReport.com. That is some very expensive advertising to waste.
Jan 24th 2008
CNN… haha what a bunch of fools!
Jan 27th 2008
Looks like CNN has a serious (though probably temporary) problem.
Feb 20th 2008
You just gotta love it. $750,000 for iReport.com! Why can’t I find sucker.., I mean buyers like that?
Oct 29th 2008
First of all, I can’t believe that he sold the domain for $750.000! That probably nothing to CNN, but for me thats a fortune! It will probably take me, my entire life to make that much. Lucky guy.
Also I find it funny that CNN was already advertising for the site, but didn’t even have it up yet!