It's really pretty hard to top the AllThingsD headline announcing the expiration of the press release embargo: "Exclusive: Disney Acquires Hipster Mommy Blog Platform Babble Media."
As someone who once did M&A for Disney and helped buy their first interactive companies and websites, I can say that selling out to The Mouse is definitely a certain kind of dream come true.
So kudos to Rufus, Alisa and the Disney Moms team for finding their way to each other. I'm sure there will be many, many sequels. [Full text of Disney Interactive's press release after the jump]
OCCUPYBABBLE UPDATE: And now, thanks to Dadcentrician-in-Chief and the leader of the #OccupyBabble movement Jason Avant, we know what clinched the Disney Deal, a Babble group dadblog called Dadding:
Way to work the refs, my friend, may all your options vest before Christmas!
Not sure why it only occurred to me just now update: Wouldn't the best name for a dadblog at babble be daddle? just saying. [And yes, I am familiar with The Daddle.]
EXCLUSIVE [sic]: Disney Acquires Hipster Mommy Blog Platform Babble Media [allthingsd]
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY ACQUIRES LEADING ONLINE PARENTING PLATFORM BABBLE MEDIA, INC.Burbank, California -- November 14, 2011 -- The Walt Disney Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Disney Online, has acquired Babble Media, Inc., a leading online parenting platform featuring more than 200 influential mom bloggers. The acquisition of Babble further strengthens the position of Disney Interactive Media Group's Moms and Family portfolio as a leading online resource for moms and families.
Disney Interactive's Moms and Family portfolio is a trusted resource for parents today, giving them the online tools and information they need and the ability to share their experiences. Through the acquisition of Babble, Disney Interactive's Moms and Family business gains a blogging platform that elevates the first-person stories of parenthood.
Since its inception in 2006, Babble has become one of the most celebrated parenting sites on the web, named by Time Magazine as one of the 50 Best Websites of 2010 and by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Websites for Women. Its stable of bloggers contribute daily to parenting topics including pregnancy, child care, health, food, family activities as well as lifestyle topics such as home, fashion and family products. As the premier blogging platform for a new generation of connected parents, Babble has created a vibrant community of parents who support, encourage and celebrate the highs and lows of raising children.
Babble attracts a broad and engaged audience with its nearly constant stream of posts, written for and by moms. Disney Interactive will infuse its Moms and Family evergreen content into Babble, thereby enriching the Babble user experience and extending the best of what Disney has to offer to today's parents.
"Parents' relationships with Disney are founded in stories, and Disney's best stories are about families. We believe that Babble and Disney can harness the power of storytelling to inform, entertain and empower parents everywhere," said Brooke Chaffin, SVP of Moms and Family, Disney Interactive Media Group. "With more than 3.9 million mom blogs in the US alone, Disney Interactive recognizes and values the important and powerful role moms have taken on in new media."
"We can't imagine a better next step than joining the world's leading media company for families, The Walt Disney Company, and look forward to bringing together Babble's resonant voice and community with Disney's expansive family audience, wide range of content and multi-media platform," said Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman, Co-Founders of Babble.
Babble will remain headquartered in New York. Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman will join the Disney Interactive Media Group.
Ugh.. of all the sites to buy...
"... "With more than 3.9 million mom blogs in the US alone, Disney Interactive recognizes and values the important and powerful role moms have taken on in new media."..."
I, for one, do not welcome our Mom-blog/ Disney overlords...
Don't hate the playah, hate the Mouse.
(Also, I'm a mere freelancer. Options? I might get an advanced review copy of the Direct-To-DVD "Planes".)
Or I can hook you up with some posters for "Cars 2"
I heard that Disney has approached BabyGizmo.com as well. Maybe this is just beginning for Disney.