6 posts and columns on Real Networks

News Byte

RealNetworks Lays Off 10 Percent

in News on February 8, 2011 at 3:00 pm PT

In its third round of layoffs under a restructuring by CEO Bob Kimball, RealNetworks cut 130 jobs, equal to 10 percent of its workforce. Kimball took over from CEO Rob Glaser last year. In an announcement today, the company stated that it has “completed the restructuring required to create a more efficient and focused company.”

Voices

Dive Tech: RealNetworks Unifi's Media in the Cloud

in News on December 7, 2010 at 11:34 am PT

Many Web 1.0 veterans remember RealNetworks as the company that played all those MP3s we ripped from our CD collection. We distinctly remember listening to some Beastie Boys on a RealPlayer while cruising MySpace and updating our GeoCities site. Today, the Web media staple is releasing, and demoing live on stage, their newest product- named Unifi.

Viacom, Real Networks Spin Off Rhapsody Music Service

in Media on February 9, 2010 at 1:26 pm PT

Real Networks and Viacom are reorganizing Rhapsody, their joint-venture music service, and will be spinning it off into an independent company, they told the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Rhapsody, along with Best Buy’s Napster, sell music via monthly subscription, as opposed to Apple’s a la carte download offering. But neither service has been able to gain much traction, despite years of effort. More shortly.

Digital Management Musical Chairs: The Tooth-Free Edition

in News on September 8, 2009 at 6:30 am PT

Longtime Yahoo exec Brad Garlinghouse’s appointment to a new job at AOL today is yet another sign of an interesting trend for those keeping score of the comings and goings of top Internet execs. As anyone who watches the digital space knows by now, this kind of management musical chairs is common and never-ending, although it seems more frantic than ever of late. In fact, borrowing a quote by IAC/InterActiveCorp chairman and CEO Barry Diller from an onstage interview I did with him at the sixth D: All Things Digital conference, and switching out Hollywood for Silicon Valley: “[It] is a community that’s so inbred, it’s a wonder the children have any teeth.”
musical_chair

RealDepressing: The Entire RealNetworks Layoff Memo

in News on December 4, 2008 at 5:25 pm PT

Earlier this afternoon, Peter Kafka reported in Media Memo that RealNetworks was “next up in today’s layoff parade.” Here’s the official internal memo from RealNetworks founder, chairman and CEO, Rob Glaser.

Kara Visits the Monaco Media Forum: More Interviews on the French Riviera!

in News on November 13, 2007 at 7:13 am PT

Here are some more video interviews I did at the Monaco Media Forum last week. Talking about a range of Web issues, the interviewees include pundit and investor Esther Dyson, Real Networks’ Rob Glaser, Simon Assaad of Heavy, BSkyB’s James Murdoch and the ubiquitous Quincy Smith of CBS: