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"Yahoo has just closed a deal to buy Associated Content \u2014 a huge web farm for text, image and video media that is created by low-cost freelancers \u2014 for slightly more than $100 million.\nYahoo bought the company to bolster its content offerings, according to a statement from Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. \"Combining our world-class editorial team with Associated Content's makes this a game-changer,\" she said. \"Together, we'll create more content around what we know our users care about, and open up new and creative avenues for advertisers to engage with consumers across our network.\"\nIn the past, Yahoo's content strategy has been focused on creating high-quality, more expensive content, such as original online video programming from former NBC president Ben Silverman and news coverage from the Associated Press. While the user-generated media on Associated Content represents a marked step down from these other sources, it also represents a long-term strategy that will pump Yahoo's network full of more content at much lower costs.\nAssociated Content was founded in 2004 and generates around 50,000 unique pieces of media each month. The company has received a lifetime total of around $21 million in funding, including a $6 million Series C round just one year ago. Here's CEO Patrick Keane talking about the company's metrics back in February:\n\nWhat do you think: Will this move help make the Yahoo network a more valuable destination for web surfers?\n\n\nFor more business coverage, follow Mashable Business on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2010/05/18/yahoo-associated-content/>