Our Silicon Valley and tech-focused sister site Valleywag is reporting that CBS will be merging CBSnews.com and CNET's News.com. While we're aware of some cuts already hitting GameSpot, we're not yet clear on the extent of those lay-offs.

We'll keep you updated between bouts of blog-crippling depression and wish former GameSpotters the best of luck.

The death of CNET's media-conquering dreams [Valleywag]

CBS' existing online network already includes CBS.com, CBSSports.com, CBSCollegeSports.com, MaxPreps.com, CBSNews.com, last.fm, Wallstrip, MobLogic, and the CBS Radio and CBS Television Stations digital media
platforms. CBS says its distribution net, the Audience Network, comprises 300 partner sites and reaches 82% of U.S. web users.

"CNET Networks operates some of the most important premium online brands, serving the most sought after online audiences," said CNET CEO Neil Ashe. "Today's announcement brings together two organizations that complement each other and working with Leslie, Quincy and the talented people at CBS, we look forward to taking our business and our brands to the next level."

Full announcement follows the jump.

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) has entered into an agreement to acquire CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET), it was announced today by Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, CBS will make a cash tender offer for all issued and outstanding shares of CNET Networks for $11.50 per share, representing an equity value of approximately $1.8 billion. The acquisition will make CBS one of the 10 most popular Internet companies in the United States, with a combined 54 million unique users per month, and approximately 200 million users worldwide.

"There are very few opportunities to acquire a profitable, growing, well-managed Internet company like CNET Networks," said Moonves. "CBS stands for premium content and unparalleled reach, and CNET Networks will add a tremendous platform to extend our complementary entertainment, news, sports, music and information content to a whole new global audience. Together, CBS and CNET Networks will have significant additional exposure to the fastest- growing advertising sector and can accelerate our growth through a number of new content, promotion and advertising initiatives. We could not be more pleased with the prospect of adding CNET Networks and its tremendous team of people to the CBS family. I look forward to working with Quincy Smith, Neil Ashe and the considerable combined talent at both companies, as we build upon our success."

Based in San Francisco, CNET Networks owns many of the Internet's leading entertainment, news and information sites including CNET, ZDNet, GameSpot.com, TV.com, mp3.com, CNET news.com, UrbanBaby, CHOW, Search.com, BNET, MySimon and TechRepublic. The company, which reported significant profits in 2007 on revenues of $406 million, has a large international footprint, particularly in China.

Upon closing, CNET Networks' sites will be combined with CBS's stable of dynamic and growing interactive businesses. These include CBS.com, CBSSports.com, CBSCollegeSports.com, MaxPreps.com, CBSNews.com, last.fm, Wallstrip, MobLogic, CBS Radio and CBS Television Stations digital media platforms, and the distribution network of the CBS Audience Network, which is made up of more than 300 partner Web sites and reaches 82% of all online users in the United States.

"The core businesses of CNET Networks and CBS Interactive represent near perfect category symmetry in premium online content," said Quincy Smith, President, CBS Interactive. "Together we will have a terrific opportunity to not only grow our established businesses, but to build new attractive verticals of content as well. This is the beginning of an era for both CBS and CNET Networks; plus, it's going to be great to work with Neil and his team, many of whom I have known for many years."

"We're thrilled to join CBS and combine our interactive media experience with CBS's world-class content," said Neil Ashe, Chief Executive Officer, CNET Networks, Inc. "CNET Networks operates some of the most important premium online brands, serving the most sought after online audiences. Today's announcement brings together two organizations that complement each other and working with Leslie, Quincy and the talented people at CBS, we look forward to taking our business and our brands to the next level."

"We look forward to completing the acquisition of CNET Networks and the terrific benefits it brings to CBS as Quincy, Neil and their combined teams build upon our success," Moonves concluded. "At the same time our strong cash flow allows us to pay among the highest dividends in the industry, and we are committed to continue to pay our attractive dividend to return value to shareholders."

The Board of Directors of CNET Networks has unanimously approved the merger agreement and unanimously recommends that CNET Networks stockholders accept the tender offer and tender their shares.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

Internal communication informing employees of the cut were forwarded to Kotaku last night, indicating that a "new management structure means that Josh Larson's position as VP, Games is being eliminated and Josh will be leaving the company." CNET announced last week that it would cut 10 percent of its work force, about 120 employees. We contacted GameSpot Editor in Chief Ricardo Torres to verify the news this morning.

Torres confirmed that Larson's last day would be April 9, but declined to comment much further on the restructuring, citing the "internal" nature of the news.

It was clear that, at the time, Larson's capabilities as editorial lead weren't well regarded by some of the GameSpot staff. The anonymous "gamespot" commented at sister site Valleywag that Larson was "a suit [...] who had no editorial experience and was only involved on the business side of things." The anonymous commenter lamented that the presence of the sales team had become much more visible under Larson's watch, with other contributors going on and off record with less than favorable comments of CNET management.

In the months that followed Gerstmann's dismissal, GameSpot lost a sizable portion of its editorial staff, with reviewers Alex Navarro, Frank Provo, Ryan Davis, Brad Shoemaker and Jason Ocampo leaving for other, sometimes unspecified opportunities. Torres told us that GameSpot continues to bring on new editorial talent and plans to continue its coverage "with the same breadth and depth we have in our previous 11 years."

Tom's Games points out that the company posted three job listings over at JournalismJobs.Com from Feb. 15 through Feb. 27 for copywriter; associate editor, reviews; and associate editor II, PC previews and reviews.

Hit the jump for some of the responsibilities for each job. On a side note, I was a little disturbed to read that their copywriter position might include the unholy wedlock of advertising and editorial, with the person being responsible for writing banner ads, print ads and, perhaps, headlines?

Update: I hear from friends over at GameSpot that the copywriter job is in fact advertising and marketing only and that there will never be any editorial hanky-panky. Good to know.

Associate Editor, Reviews
The associate editor will be responsible for 3-5 regular game product review assignments per week in a timely manner.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to the reviews editing process both by receiving and giving feedback on his/her own reviews, as well as reviews written by other editors and staffers.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to additional review-related duties, such as appearing in video reviews or potentially helping to compile game assets.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to GameSpot's editorial product in other ways, such as attending press events, covering games for previews, and contributing to editorial features.

Associate Editor II, PC previews & reviews
The associate editor will be responsible for 3-5 regular PC game preview and review assignments per week in a timely manner, and potentially some console-related coverage as well.
The associate editor will be called on to interface with game industry contacts and attend game-related industry events and may be required to travel, schedule appointments, manage press assets, and keep track of deadline and designated publish dates.
As part of the process of contributing to reviews, the associate editor will be expected to contribute to the reviews editing process both by receiving and giving feedback on his/her own reviews, as well as reviews written by other editors and staffers.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to additional review-related duties, such as appearing in video reviews or potentially helping to compile game assets.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to GameSpot's editorial product in other ways, such as attending press events, covering games for previews, and contributing to editorial features.

Copywriter
Write banner ads, landing pages, print ads, ads, microsites, videos, and, of course, email. Work autonomously with partner designer during concept development and design. Integrate the brand personality into all consumer communication and maintain a consistent look and feel that reinforces and builds the brands as innovators.

Work with Marketing, Product and product design teams to understand our customers, the nuances of the product and the key strategies for each project. Attend user lab studies to witness consumer experience with the product first hand in order to better understand their motivations, stumbling blocks, etc. Develop a strong command of our brands, their positioning and detailed product features.

Like Video Games? Cnet/Gamespot Going Hiring Crazy (must Like Eidos) [Tom's Games]

Gerstmann and Davis appeared to have been close cohorts, with the pair performing as the musical outfit Suburban All-Stars. Davis wrote in his GameSpot blog within days of Gerstmann's firing that "I would not be in the video game business at all were it not for Jeff Gerstmann," adding that the controversial termination "absolutely breaks my heart" and signaled "the end of an era for both GameSpot and myself."

The GameSpot Exodus Continues as Ryan Davis Leaves [GameDaily.biz]

Torres, who spoke to us recently about the departure of longtime reviewer Alex Navarro, said of the new responsibilities via press release "I'm eager to continue the site's tradition of excellence and I'm confident we can move forward into 2008 and set a new industry standard for how video games are covered." Torres recently set editorial standards for wearing cornrows, pictures of which we desperately wish we had in our possession.

We wish Torres the best in his future endeavors at GameSpot. Full statement from CNet after the break.

GameSpot Names Ricardo Torres Editor-in-Chief

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 28, 2008—GameSpot (www.gamespot.com), a leading video game Web site and a property of CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET), today announced it has named Ricardo Torres editor-in-chief. Torres, who has been a key member of GameSpot's editorial team since 2001, brings a decade of editorial experience to the position and an in-depth knowledge of the gaming industry. As editor-in-chief, Torres will oversee GameSpot's award-winning editorial staff in their coverage of the latest games and breaking news.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to help further GameSpot's position at the forefront of the industry," said Torres. "I'm eager to continue the site's tradition of excellence and I'm confident we can move forward into 2008 and set a new industry standard for how video games are covered."

Previously, Torres was editorial director of GameSpot. In this position, he secured exclusive previews of some of the most highly-anticipated games in the industry, wrote hundreds of reviews and previews for the site, and managed event coverage in the US and abroad. During his time at GameSpot, he has pioneered new content forms, including reviving the popular "Behind the Games" series as a platform to examine different aspects of the game development and the games industry. He was also instrumental in bringing the GameSpot audience groundbreaking live coverage of the PlayStation 3 and Wii launches on the East and West Coasts. In addition, Torres has helped shape the site's exclusive coverage of the industry's most significant events, including the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, and international events such as Tokyo Game Show in Japan, the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany, and Microsoft's European events for the Xbox 360.

"Ricardo has been a key member of the editorial team for years," said Greg Brannan, vice president of content, CNET Networks' entertainment and lifestyle division. "I'm extremely confident in his ability to maintain GameSpot's tradition of excellence in being the most reputable and outstanding game content site on the web."

"Ricardo was one the hardest-working, most dedicated people I knew during my 10 years with GameSpot, and he always had a real vision for how the brand could keep growing to best serve game players around the world," said Greg Kasavin, former editor-in-chief of GameSpot. "As a former colleague and a fan, I'm excited to see how GameSpot will evolve under his direction."

Prior to his time at GameSpot, Torres oversaw the videogame coverage at CNET Networks' proprietary game site GameCenter and worked in quality assurance at Rocket Science Games, a San Francisco-based developer.

About GameSpot

GameSpot's (www.gamespot.com) expert editorial team provides more than a million daily visitors with comprehensive, engaging, and unbiased game information for console, PC, and portable platforms. The site's award-winning coverage includes previews and reviews on the hottest titles, breaking news, live Web casts, online tournaments, game downloads, videos, guides, hints, and more. GameSpot also has one of the most active online gaming communities. The GameSpot family also includes GameFAQs, Game Rankings, SportsGamer, and GameSpot Trax, the industry's premier real-time market intelligence tool.

About CNET Networks

CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET - www.cnetnetworks.com) is an interactive media company that builds brands for people and the things they are passionate about, such as gaming, music, entertainment, technology, business, food, and parenting. The Company's leading brands include CNET, GameSpot, TV.com, MP3.com, CHOW, UrbanBaby, ZDNet, BNET, and TechRepublic. Founded in 1992, CNET Networks has a strong presence in the US, Asia, and Europe.

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The New York Times is reporting that a consortium of "prominent investment funds" have managed to grab up 21 percent of CNet and are now working to kick out the company's directors and take over the majority of the company's board.

The Times piece is based on people who were privy to a memo sent from the consortium to the board about two weeks ago. Among CNet's assets, of course, are gaming site GameSpot and tech site TechCruch.

The consortium is led by Jana Partners and includes Sandell Asset Management, a venture capital firm and entrepeneur Paul Gardi, the guy behind Ask Jeeves tech.

No word on if or how this could possible impact GameSpot.

Investors Said to Seek a Takeover of CNet [NYT]

Provo specialized in critiquing games for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and PSP during his tenure. He was often tasked with reviewing less than enviable portable fodder, as well as copious amounts of movie licensed games and retro releases via XBLA and the Wii Virtual Console.

He was especially vocal about the Jeff Gerstmann dismissal via his LiveJournal and message board NeoGAF, having harsh words for CNet management and expressing sympathy for peers still at Gamespot. He recently addressed his separation from the outlet by writing "I feel sad about the whole thing, but I can't write for a site that could one day punish me for honesty."

In a response to a comment posted on his GameSpot blog today, Provo defended his former compatriots, writing "The GameSpot staff did not fire Jeff. The GameSpot staff are NOT corrupt. GameSpot itself is NOT the problem. CNet is. CNet's management is."

Farewell, GameSpot [GameSpot]

The reality is this: publishers generally hold the enthusiast press in utter contempt, and they have for a long time. This disdain began as scorn for the enthusiast media's roots in videogame fandom, rather than traditional journalism from "respectable" publications, but it has since metastasized into a veiled but nonetheless seething anger over the advent of the Internet and with it the rise of fan sites, forums and blogs over which publishers can exert little pressure, let alone control. The contempt emanating from the publishing community, by the way, is not limited to the enthusiast press. In our view, it extends to publicists, whom certain executives believe can and should be able to dictate the nature of their coverage and secure review scores of a certain magnitude. It even extends to their own developers, for whom Metacritic and Game Rankings scores can dangle as precipitously as the sword of Damocles, as if these executives were incapable of determining for themselves the quality of their games and taking action accordingly.

The only solution to this problem is for the editorial divisions of these enthusiast outlets who are being strong-armed by publishers and/or their own business operations to shine a light on these practices, much as Kotaku did with Sony earlier this year. Of course, it's easy for us to call for this sort of resolute bravery when Newsweek isn't dependent on videogame advertising and our livelihoods are not at stake. We recognize that some companies literally can't afford to alienate their advertisers, so far be it from us to knock another publication's hustle.

Yet CNET hasn't said a word. And according to a trusted source within the organization, none of CNET's writers are all that happy about the delay despite CNET higher ups launching an investigation on the matter.

The main point of contention seems to be this: CNET released a memo quickly after Gerstmann's media extravaganza erupted. The letter wasn't rude or commanding. It merely reaffirmed CNET's "commitment to editorial integrity"—a quote straight from the subject line. The letter also stipulated that Gerstmann had been fired for legitimate reasons.

Our contact clarified that CNET editors really aren't all that concerned about Gerstmann's departure, but that since this internal memo was released, CNET has not said the same (or anything, for that matter) on the Gerstmann topic to the external media. And meanwhile, CNET editors are trying to be respectful of the company's situation and allow the booming CNET voice to speak first. Our source thinks their company should "hurry up."

The last tidbit we learned is that CNET is sending in their Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Jai Singh to conduct an internal investigation into Gamespot policies.

Wow. Does that read like Daddy's coming home to give a proper spanking or what?

The confusion over the reasons for Gerstmann's termination, compounded with a lack of transparency from management has created a feeling of "irreconcilable despair" that may eventually lead to an exodus of Gamespot editorial staffers. "Our credibility," said the source, "is in ruins." Over the course of the previous days, a "large number of Gamespot editors" have expressed their intentions to leave. Tales of emotionally deflated peers, with no will to remain at the site, were numerous.

Unless cooler heads prevail or concerns are addressed, Gamespot could see "mass resignations", our source revealed.

Rank and file employees of the Gamespot organization are unaware of the real reasons behind Gerstmann's termination. Our source admitted that Eidos was less than pleased with the review scores for Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, but the team has "dealt with plenty of unhappy publishers before." Our contact stressed that "Money has never played a role in reviews before" and that "[Gamespot] has never altered a score." No pressure from management or sales has been exercised to remove or alter content, the source reiterated.

However, the source did speculate that disagreements between Gertsmann and VP of games Josh Larson may have been the root cause of the former being terminated. Larson, successor to former editor in chief Greg Kasavin, was described as out of touch with the employees who report to him. The VP is the one allegedly responsible for telling Gamespot editorial staff that it was Gerstmann's "tone" that was at the heart of his dismissal.

"People used to think of Larson as a sort of non-intrusive cousin of Bill Lumberg from Office Space—an empty suit who was more of an annoyance than a liability," our source told us. "Now, people are referring to him as the moron lieutenant from Aliens who sits around stunned, doing nothing as everyone drops dead around him."

The source also indicated that Larson's paraphrased assertion that "AAA titles deserve more attention" was not necessarily a hint that Gamespot's reviewers be more lenient to those titles. Instead, in light of some rather controversial review scores—for example, the 7.5 for Insomniac Games' Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction—the editorial team needed to be more conscious of accuracy and impact of its scores.

As for the now-pulled video of review, it appears the reasons for it's removal are less nefarious than assumed. "Jeff showed up late. It was thrown together quickly, the sound sucked, there was only footage from the first level of the game—it was a mess," our source said. We were told that the redacting of the clip was based on a producer's decision and not a demand from upper management.

However, rumored perception from management that Gerstmann's work had become sloppier, more flippant and smacked of a celebrity attitude may have only been solidified by the questionable quality of the review.

And the removal of the Kane & Lynch site ads, following initial reports? A reflexive action taken by the sales team, a move that may have been executed too late.

What was accurate, according to the Gamespot staffer, was the account of user "gamespot" at sister site Valleywag. The anonymous blow-by-blow "could have been written by a stenographer", indicating that it perfectly captured the sequence of events and emotional landscape at the company—one of confusion, fear and anger.

The overflowing emotions, combined with a lack of transparency from CNet and Gamespot management has lead the full-time editorial staff to near mutiny. Some feel the site's brand has been irrevocably tarnished, that the controversy is "a cataclysmic event in Gamespot history."

At this point, editors at Gamespot seem most frustrated that CNet management isn't listening to their concerns. Poor decision making has been and continues to be a sore spot, with a CNet internal investigation into Gamespot's review practices and code of ethics—one handled by outsider Jai Singh, editor in chief at News.com—adding to that frustration.

Our Gamespot source pointed out that during the course of the week, we may see a more human, more revealing version of the story, as editorial staff will address the situation in podcasts and videos. If parent company CNet will respond to editorial requests for greater transparency of the situation, a move that may help repair the mental health of staffers and the bruised credibility of Gamespot itself, remains to be seen.

CNet Networks Entertainment VP Greg Brannan goes on record, assuring readers that advertising dollars do not affect the Gamespot's editorial content. He calls accusations that Gerstmann's termination was due to pressure from Kane & Lynch publisher Eidos "unsubstantiated and untrue." Brannan points to unspecified "internal reasons unrelated to any buyer of advertising on Gamespot."

Additional statements from Gamespot staffers are at the news story linked below.

Gerstmann, GameSpot part ways [Gamespot]

GameSpot takes its editorial integrity extremely seriously. For over a decade, GameSpot and the many members of its editorial team have produced thousands of unbiased reviews that have been a valuable resource for the gaming community. At CNET Networks, we stand behind the editorial content that our teams produce on a daily basis.

As many of our readers and peers have noticed, Gamespot is no longer running the prominent Kane & Lynch: Dead Men ads on its web site. They were removed late last night, a few hours after publication of the original story. It is unknown whether this change was in response to the rumor that Gerstmann was fired over reasons surrounding the Eidos published game or if the promotion had simply run its course.

Ed Note: my wife wanted to know what the hell this picture was doing in Photoshop. My explanation was—apparently— not good enough.

New Head of the Combined Entertainment and Lifestyle Business Unit

I am pleased to announce Stephen Colvin as EVP of our new Entertainment & Lifestyle business. A 20-year media veteran, Stephen joins us from Dennis Publishing, where he built Maxim, Blender, Stuff and The Week magazines. He has a track record as a dynamic leader and brand builder. Steph en will be based in our NYC office which allows us to expand our presence in a city that is the hub of the media world. Stephen will be spending a lot of time in San Francisco.

The merger of CHOW and Urban Baby into the Entertainment & Lifestyle business unit simplifies our business, and allows us to leverage infrastructure, tools and best practices across this larger group. Over the next few days and weeks there will be individual and team meetings within Entertainment and Lifestyle to discuss the transition process.

Stephen will be in San Francisco next week, and he is looking forward to meeting the team.

CNET Sells Webshots For $45 Million; Other News [via gamesetwatch]

Cnet's News.com is hosting a gallery of what they consider to be some of the greatest arcade games of the eighties. Pretty much everything you imagine would be on there is present including all the old standards like Frogger, Super Mario Bros., Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Pole Position and Space Invaders. There are twelve picks in all including short blurbs about each game 9mostly culled from klov.com). Not really a whole lot of new information here, but it's a nice little gallery and they even have a section where you can vote for your favorites.

What do you think of this list? Is there anything they left out? I could certainly name plenty. If you have any to add, be sure and list them in the comments! Flynn De Marco

The Greatest arcade games of the 80's [CNet News - Thanks D.]
[photo: mrpphotos004203]

For a tech news site, this seems a little late in coming, but Cnet.com is currently hosting a gallery of celebrity Mii images culled from around the web. Some of these I had seen before, but others were new to me and the majority of them are dead on. Some celebrities of note include Chuck Norris, Laurel & Hardy, Jack Black, Peter Jackson and Woody Allen. Also featured is Dave Curry's prize winning Zach Braff Mii (pictured) which took the grand prize in Kottke.org's Celebrity Mii contest. Curry was awarded with a little statue of his winning Mii which is also featured in the gallery.

So, if you are one of those folks that only recently got their hands on a Wii and are still exploring the wonderful world of Mii's, this little gallery is a great guide for getting some celebs to brighten up your Mii Parade.

I'm still waiting for some Mii DLC so I can finally make one that actually looks like me. Unfortunately for me, they don't have a mutton chop sideburn feature and that's a damn shame. Flynn De Marco

Wii creates celebrity Mii's [Cnet]

CNet has an interesting story up about the difficulty in striking a fair balance between banning too many people and not banning enough in a massively multiplayer online game.

In this case, they're talking World of Warcraft.

On the one had you have gamers like 14-year-old "Zak" who claims he was banned for being too good. Blizzard suspected him of power leveling with cheats and banned him, but he claims he's just good at the game.

Then you have other players who tell CNet they think Blizzard is doing a fine job. In between you have Blizzard who says they are very careful about their use of the ban stick.

"For any account that is suspected of breaking the (terms of service) and/or the (end-user license agreement), we conduct a very thorough investigation before the actual ban takes place," Shon Damron, a Blizzard spokesman, wrote in an e-mail to CNET News.com. "In order to ensure that no ban is made without good reason, this system has been extensively refined and contains numerous safeguards."

Blizzard keeps "thorough records of any account-related actions, and we don't show any unusual recent banning-related activity," Damon added.

It points to what I would think is one of the most difficult problems developers must face when creating and maintaining an MMO: The players. Brian Crecente

'World of Warcraft' bans raise players' ire [CNet]

The problem? The CNET editors didn't really see the difference either way.

I'm not sure if that benefits Sony or Microsoft, but Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360, and Scott "1080p is basically impossible" Henson, director of platform strategy, brought out the big guns and left the staff unswayed. In fact, admitted non-videophile Daniel Terdiman said of the touted 360 superiority "any differences are those that I think would be noticed only by someone with too much time on their hands." Whether it was Gears versus Resitance, Blu-ray versus HD-DVD, they just didn't seem to care.

Maybe if Microsoft hadn't brought in that nice 1080p Sony Bravia and instead used a television that didn't support 720p, the editors might have noticed. Michael McWhertor

Xbox 360 meets PS3, and it's ready to rumble [CNET]