AllThingsD或将与道琼斯分道扬镳

    颇具影响力的科技网站All Things Digital的未来即将被确定。

    路透社（Reuters）在今年2月报道称，AllThingsD联席执行主编卡拉•斯威舍与沃尔特•莫斯伯格已开始同网站的母公司——隶属于新闻集团（News Corp.）的道琼斯（Dow Jones）洽谈，讨论是否延长双方将于今年12月31日到期的合作关系。

    《财富》（Fortune ）随后了解到，AllThingsD正同投资银行Code Advisors合作，寻找对该网站估值超过2,500万美元的外部投资者。据报道，美国在线（AOL）2010年收购AllThingsD的竞争对手TechCrunch网站时，对后者的估值就是2,500万美元。有消息人士称，AllThingsD正寻求以1,000万至1,500万美元的价格，出售公司25％到30％的股份。

    斯威舍和莫斯伯格似乎在避开传统的风险投资者和高科技亿万富翁，可能是为了尽量减少潜在的利益冲突。相反，他们致力于在媒体行业寻找合作伙伴。

    迄今，已经有三家媒体公司示好，据说其中还包括康卡斯特（Comcast）旗下的美国国家广播环球公司（NBC Universal）。此外，还有一位公司正在考虑中。据称，最终的交易可能包括多个投资方。

    Other companies said to have been approached include Bloomberg, Condé Nast, and The Washington Post Company (WPO).

    据称AllThingsD还同彭博社（Bloomberg）、康泰纳仕（Condé Nast）、以及华盛顿邮报公司（The Washington Post Company）等进行了接洽。

    斯威舍在向《财富》发出的一份声明中表示：“情况并不复杂。过去12年，沃尔特和我在网络新闻和会议方面取得了不俗成绩，现在我们正有意延续和扩大这种成功。想要做成这件事的方法很多，我们正在慎重考虑，挑选其中最好的方法，希望在未来几年能力助我们再创辉煌。”

    目前尚不清楚斯威舍和莫斯伯格积极寻找外部投资者的原因是因为AllThingsD与道琼斯的关系已完全破裂，还是因为他们希望在已经进行了11小时的谈判中获得更多的财务利益。双方一直以来存在的争议是：AllThingsD在招聘时能否拥有灵活性。而一些潜在投资者表示，AllThingsD将获得资金以大幅提高员工人数（包括聘用多位记者和视频制作专家）。

    从官方意义上说，道琼斯拥有AllThingsD的品牌、网站和内容。同时，它还管理着这个科技博客的广告收益，但只有莫斯伯格一人是道琼斯的正式员工。斯威舍和AllThingsD的其余编辑都是所谓的“合同工”，从一家独立的有限责任公司拿薪水。目前来看有一种可能是：AllThingsD的团队将离开公司，自己创立一个独立实体，启用新名称，而道琼斯将保留AllthingsD品牌（可能还包括其历史内容。）

    一位知情者透露：“虽然在新闻集团内部，AllThingsD就收入而言微不足道，但它的影响十分广泛。鲁伯特（即鲁伯特•默多克）可能将拥有最终的决定权。”

    对道琼斯而言，失去莫斯伯格和斯威舍堪称损失惨重。

    Reuters reported in February that AllThingsD co-executive editors Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg had begun discussions with owner Dow Jones, a subsidiary of News Corp. (NWS), about either ending or extending their partnership, which is set to expire on December 31.

    Since then, Fortune has learned that AllThingsD is working with investment bank Code Advisors to find outside investors at an enterprise value that could exceed the $25 million that AOL (AOL) reportedly paid in 2010 for rival site TechCrunch. One source says that the asking price is between $10 million and $15 million for a 25% or 30% stake in the company.

    Swisher and Mossberg appear to be steering clear of traditional venture capitalists and tech billionaires, likely in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest. Instead, their focus has been on finding a partner from the media sector.

    So far they have received proposals from three media companies, one of which is said to be NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast (CMSCA). A fourth is circling, and it is possible that the final transaction could include multiple parties.

    Other companies said to have been approached include Bloomberg, Condé Nast, and The Washington Post Company (WPO).

    "It's not complex," Swisher told Fortune in a statement. "Walt and I are interested in taking the online journalism and conference efforts we have been successful at building over the last 12 years and expanding them. There are lots of ways to do that, and we are thinking about the best way to evolve what we believe is an even bigger opportunity in the years ahead."

    It remains unclear if Swisher and Mossberg are seeking outside money because talks have completely broken down with Dow Jones, or because they are seeking leverage in the 11th hour of negotiations. One constant point of contention has been hiring flexibility, with prospective investors told that proceeds would be used to substantially increase headcount (including the addition of several new reporters and video producers).

    Dow Jones officially owns the AllThingsD brand, website and content. It also manages the site's ad sales, but only Mossberg is an actual Dow Jones employee. Swisher and the rest of her AllThingsD editorial colleagues are contractors paid via an independent limited liability company. One scenario could involve the AllThingsD team leaving to start an independent venture with a new name, while Dow Jones retains the AllthingsD brand (and possibly the archived editorial content).

    "Within News Corp., AllThingsD is very small in terms of money but very large in terms of profile," says a source familiar with the situation. "Rupert will probably make the final call on what happens."

    The loss of Mossberg and Swisher would be a serious blow to Dow Jones.