Closures

Korean Social Network Cyworld to Shutter U.S. Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 6, 2009 - 9:42am.
Los Angeles - Cyworld, a Korea-based online social network owned by SK Telecom, has decided to shutter its U.S. service three years after launch, having failed to attract a large audience.

U.K. Unlimited MP3 Download Service Datz Shuts Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 16, 2009 - 10:37am.
London - Datz, the provider of an unlimited MP3 download service in the U.K., has shut down after failing to generate enough revenue to pay music licensing fees, Billboard reported.

Micropayments Firm TipJoy to Shut Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 24, 2009 - 8:23am.
Cambridge, Mass. - TipJoy, a micropayments platform for bloggers that had raised $1 million in venture capital financing, has shut down, PEHub.com reported, citing a post on the company's blog.

Tr.im URL Shortener to Shutter After Failing to Find Buyer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 10, 2009 - 8:10am.
Vancouver, Canada - Nambu Networks has announced that it will shutter its Tr.im URL shortening service, after finding zero interest from potential buyers, the company said in a blog post.

Multimedia Production Firm Blowtorch Sees Funding Dry Up

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 31, 2009 - 4:28am.
New York - Blowtorch Entertainment, a multi-platform media company that launched with $50 million in funding and an ambitious plan to finance feature films, shorts, mobile and social networking elements and live events, is near shutdown after investors pulled out, VentureWire reported.

Zookz Shutters Unlimited Download Service, Returns Fees

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2009 - 9:34am.
St. John's, Antigua - Zookz, a recently launched unlimited music and video download service based on the island nation of Antigua, has shut down and refunded membership fees after being disavowed by the Antiguan government, NewTeeVee reported.

The Printed Blog Shutters After Funding Dries Up

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 8, 2009 - 8:12am.
Chicago - The Printed Blog, a venture that published a print round-up of blog content, has decided to shutter after 16 issues due to "a lack of outside investment capital," founder Josh Karp wrote in a note on the company's blog.

Yahoo to Shutter Video Distribution Unit Maven Networks

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 30, 2009 - 5:23am.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - Yahoo (NASD: YHOO) plans to shutter its Maven Networks online video distribution and ad platform, which it acquired for $160 million in January 2008, TechCrunch reported. "While video initiatives remain a priority for Yahoo, both for its consumer and advertising experiences, we are increasing investment in some areas while scaling back in others," the company told TechCrunch.

Production Studio Ripe Digital Entertainment Shuts Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 16, 2009 - 8:31am.
Los Angeles - Digital production studio and ad sales firm Ripe Digital Entertainment has shut down, Deadline Hollywood Daily reported.

IAC to Shutter Search Engine RushmoreDrive.com

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 9, 2009 - 10:50am.
Los Angeles - IAC (NASD: IACI), the Internet firm run by Barry Diller whose holdings include Ticketmaster, Citysearch and Ask.com, has decided to shutter RushmoreDrive.com, a search engine targeting the African-American community, PaidContent reports.

Trade Pubs Radio & Records, Performing Songwriter to Close

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 4, 2009 - 12:48pm.
New York - Music industry trade publication Radio & Records will shut down after 36 years in operation and lay off all 40 staff members, Hypebot reported. The magazine's airplay charts will be added to Billboard Magazine. Also shuttering this month is Performing Songwriter, which debuted in 1993.

Controversial Online Ad Firm NebuAd Shuts Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 21, 2009 - 8:45am.
Philadelphia - NebuAd, a provider of online advertising targeted based on a consumer's Web surfing habits, said in court filings this week that it has been winding down its business and has "essentially ceased to exist," the Associated Press reported.

"Duke Nukem" Game Developer 3D Realms Shuts Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 7, 2009 - 11:46am.
Garland, Texas - Video game developer 3D Realms, creators of the "Duke Nukem" game franchise and publisher of others including "Wolfenstein 3D," has shut down and laid off all employees, Shacknews reported.

Report: Text Marketer Kadoink Seized by Creditors

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 5, 2009 - 7:14am.
San Francisco - Kadoink, a developer of mobile music marketing widgets that raised $7 million in venture capital in January, has been seized by creditor Hercules Technology Growth Capital after failing to maintain a requisite $2.5 million line of credit, TechCrunch reported.

Conde Nast Shuttering Two-Year-Old Portfolio Magazine

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 27, 2009 - 7:41am.
New York - Publisher Conde Nast announced on Monday that it will shutter its two-year-old Portfolio business magazine, citing "financial reasons at [parent company] Advance," the magazine's website reported, citing editor-in-chief Joanne Lipman.

Yahoo to Shutter GeoCities Free Web Page Hosting Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 23, 2009 - 10:25am.
San Francisco - Yahoo (NASD: YHOO) plans to shutter its GeoCities free personal Web page hosting service later this year, and as of Thursday was no longer accepting new customers, Reuters reported.

Adware Firm Zango Shuts Down; Sells Assets to Blinkx

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2009 - 8:22am.
Bellevue, Wash. - Zango, an "adware" company that provided free game, song and other downloads in exchange for the ability to serve targeted ads while browsing the Web, has shut down and sold its assets to video search firm Blinx for an undisclosed sum.

Report: Music Service Provider Passalong to Shut Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 15, 2009 - 8:35am.
Los Angeles - Passalong Networks, the operator of a range of digital music services, is shutting down, with top executives including founder and CEO Dave Jaworski and senior vice president of corporate development Skip Franklin already departing the company, Digital Music News reported, citing sources close to the situation. Passalong's Speakerheart, OnTour and StoreBlocks units are all reportedly being put up for sale.

Wikia Search Project to Shut Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 31, 2009 - 8:38am.
Los Angeles - Wikia Search, an open-source search engine project launched by Wikia and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, has shut down.

Ad-Supported Music Download Service SpiralFrog Shuts Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 20, 2009 - 8:20am.

New York - SpiralFrog, the provider of a free, ad-supported music download service that won licensing deals from two of the four major labels, has quietly shut down, CNET News.com reported. A "source close to the company" told CNET the company has ceased operations, and its assets have been surrendered to creditors.