Google 'sells Frommer's guides business back to founder'

[HuskyPup]

The founder of travel guidebook company Frommer's has said that he has reacquired the rights to the brand from internet giant Google.

Arthur Frommer told the AP news agency that he will publish the guides in both print and electronic form, in addition to operating the Frommer's website.

Google, which bought Frommer's last August, confirmed to AP that it had returned the brand to its founder.

[bbc.co.uk...]

[engine]

That is a surprise, and i'm intrigued to know why.

[topr8]

>>That is a surprise, and i'm intrigued to know why.

my guess...

google extracted and used all the data they required, and they are not interested in the brand name of Frommer.

Mr Frommer, now an old man is trying to recapture his lost youth by buying back the brand name that he started back in 1957 (which incidentally according to the article he sold in the 1970's)

nb. it isn't clear what he has actually bought! just the brand name? the back catalogue? republishing rights?

[johnhh]

Google did extract all the data - in my experience most of Frommer is out of date anyway !

[engine]

Yes, that seems like further reports are backing that up.

People wondered why Google sold Frommer’s Travel barely nine months after acquiring it in the first place. The answer is that it’s keeping a huge number social media followers from sites like Facebook.Google Keeps All The Social Media Data [paidcontent.org]