Engage to cut 550 employees

[rcjordan]

Engage disengages 550 employees [localbusiness.com]

The restructuring plan will include an increased focus on software, which the company said has higher gross margins than Engage's other businesses.... In addition, the company will renegotiate media business agreements with some of its network Websites to increase the percentage of revenue retained by Engage.

(Engage just raised commissions to 60% -rcj)

[Mike_Mackin]

So what is the project for CMGI these days?

[Brett_Tabke]

I am really sorry to hear that RC.

I can only imagine that burst is in about the same boat. They currently have 17 ron ads. 9 are cpc's (.30-.20). Out of 28k views (6k ads shown) on one adcode yesterday, it was a whopping $4.25 total (no targeted currently running).

<mode>panic</mode>

[rcjordan]

Engage is still averaging .80 CPM net with me (for reasons unknown), but this is pocket-change (OK, lunch money) by comparison to "the good old days." Last month, I diverted 150k impressions over to cross-promoting my other site.

I could/should get back into selling the inventory myself -but I hate taking the time to focus on that. I did recently get a direct inquiry from a media buyer for BellSouth... maybe I can get them interested in becoming a perma-sponsor at $3 net and forget about banners for awhile.

<added>
Meanwhile, NBCi's search affiliate program is kicking in... now up to lunch-money++ daily.

[GWJ]

>>Meanwhile, NBCi's search affiliate program is kicking in... now up to lunch-money++ daily.

RC,

Out of curiosity can you sticky mail me a URL on NBCI's affiliation program?

TIA,

Brian

[rcjordan]

Publishers Enraged at Engage [internetnews.com]

IMO, there was no way for Engage to put a positive spin on their announcement to cut commissions, but -on the other hand- I can't recall seeing an online article about publishers railing against an ad network before. (The phrase ham-handed comes to mind.)

[rcjordan]

Not looking too good, now where did I put that parachute....

online advertiser struggling for survival [boston.internet.com], said it will lose up to $55 million in the second quarter -- significantly more than analysts expected.