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Dennis Publishing acquires bit-tech.net
Author: Tim SmalleyPublished: 20th October 2008
I am delighted to announce that bit-tech.net has taken another giant leap into the next chapter of its life. We have been acquired by Dennis Publishing.
bit-tech has been on an incredible journey for the last seven and a half years, and those of you who have been with us since the original days of 2001 will have seen the website go through many evolutions.
bit-tech.net initially came about as a place for the then underground modding community to show off their creations. Following feedback from the loyal readership, the site quickly spread its wings first into more regular hardware reviews and then into gaming content with that added bit-tech twist.
In 2005 we teamed up with Hugh Chappell, who at the time also owned TrustedReviews, to take a big step forwards. Hugh invested his time and money into bit-tech, which enabled us to move from running the site in our spare time to becoming a professional publication with offices and facilities to match.
Since then, we’ve seen several changes including myself taking oven the helm as Editor and waving goodbye to our close friends at TrustedReviews, after the publication was acquired by IPC Media almost a year ago to the day.
But despite these changes, the ingredient we believe we’ve kept consistent throughout bit-tech’s life is the passion and enthusiasm for technology and everything that surrounds it. We do this because we’re enthusiasts and we share the same passion for technology as you, our readers, do.
We have enjoyed massive growth in the last three years especially and that’s not only down to the blood, sweat and tears shed by everyone who has worked so incredibly hard for the site, but it’s also down to the support we’ve had from both the industry and our loyal readers. I’d not only like to thank all of my staff—and Hugh for believing in us—but on behalf of all of us at bit-tech, I’d also like to thank every one of you for making the site what it is today. That includes all of the times when you’ve chewed our ears when we got it wrong, the time you’ve spent providing valuable feedback whenever we’ve asked for it, and most importantly of all, reading the content we’ve created.
Over the course of this year, we quickly realised that in order to accelerate at the rate we believe we can, the business needed to take another step forwards – and this is where Dennis Publishing will come into play. For you, our readers, there will be very little initial change – I will remain at the helm as Editor of bit-tech and the entire team will continue producing the same great content you know and love.
I believe Dennis is an excellent match for bit-tech – the publisher already has a number of leading brands in the technology sector, including PC Pro, Custom PC and IT Pro. There is a great deal of synergy with what we already do and most importantly, I feel Dennis is the one publisher that truly understands the enthusiasts' market and will enable us to continue growing at the rate we have been.
The entire team will be hired as Dennis Publishing employees and will continue to work in the existing Ascot offices – you can read more of the details over on Dennis Publishing's website.
If you have any thoughts to share with us regarding this announcement, please do so in the forums!
Related articles on bit-tech.net
Comments (137)
Seriously though, congrats guys.
Time for some cheesecake?
I don't know anything about your new overlords but I guess their acquisitions of Bit-Tech proves they have good taste.
Long live Bit-Tech!
Could bit-tech become the next Ars-technica ? In some ways it already surpasses it.
Congrats guys, didn't see this one coming.
Lay-offs. I recommend you lot unionize. Fight for your rights!!!1
Only one remark: Don't change!
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9172/photo10111547dr6.jpg
Now where's my raise? :p
Cheers Bit-Tech
They should ship it to Dubai or I'm going to be mad >:(
Good job BT ;) Well done. ;)
This is awesome! Congrats guys.
congrats!
Where's your raise? Where's my raise!?!
If it weren't for us angry users who misbehave and char-grill the hell out of everyone else you mods would have nothing to do. As a self-selected and elected spokesgod for these people, I demand recognition. And cake.
I just hope that Dennis aren't the type to interfere much. They've got a winning formula and I really don't want to see Custom PC online (mainly because it already exists.)
Hmm.. Actually, the press announcement looks like they're only interested in broadening the reach of their advertising, so I suppose we'll just end-up with a broader array of advertising.. Back on Flashblock it goes then. :)
This calls for a large celebration involving many cheesecakes!
:D
I have many a time enjoyed reading yours and Nexos posts. Usually the threads are taken over by you guys disagreeing with each other. lol But interesting reading. :)
Grats to the team though I hope things won't change too much :)
Does this mean we'll be charged 6 quid and get a dvd full of unwanted software worth £3000 every month?;)
Dennis do Micromart, my computer rag of choice, so I'm happy.
Personally, I'm hoping for Viz comics on bit-tech
I understand your scepticism and, yes, only time will tell with what happens... However, from the meetings I've had so far with James Tye and Barry Cronin, I don't think a lot of things will change. They bought the business because of what it is and they want to make it bigger and better.
James became CEO of Dennis after working his way up from Editor of PC Pro - and I think that helps to highlight Dennis' focus on content. The one thing that won't happen is layoffs... they've acquired bit-tech because of the people behind it, because they're the ones that have made the product successful. You guys (and girls) have helped to make the product successful as you've been there to give us a beating when we've needed it, and to pat us on the back when it's necessary. For that I can only thank you all! :)
I respect that this probably won't eliminate your scepticism, but I hope that you'll bear with us. I remember the scepticism surrounding the original investment from Hugh and I believe we eliminated that over time. All I can ask for is your trust, as I'm certainly hoping that we'll just make bit-tech better with the help of Dennis!
Haha, now that would be awesome :D
I've often enjoyed the pleasure of reading some of Dennis's other publications, so this should be good ;)
Not too sure on a printed publication though... I would buy it, especially if it came with free thumbscrews... but I suppose Tech is best kept on computers?
Good luck for the future, hope it matches the past success!
Congratulations guys :D
And did you have to give them Hiren's soul as surety?
Bigger is not better. Every time you "broaden the appeal of the site" it attracts another hoard of morons and lowers the average intelligence of the userbase. I think this will be good for bit, but bad for those of us who come here to find a higher grade of people than is the average on the web.
That said, Custom PC is a good magazine, so hopefully it won't be as bad as I'm afraid it's going to be.
We're better at poker than that ;)
I'm hoping we can keep the average intellect high while also expanding the site. That'll be dictated by the content and we plan to keep that the same.
You guys better not have move my desk :P
I hope you guys didnt forget to keep bindi his job
Great work guys, I hope happy times are ahead - despite the current financial situation.
hope this pans out for the best. rofl at bindi's comment....note: your desk is in the car park
but it usually is.
gratz folks! gluck with the new company!
Thats why you shouldnt take time off. :p They moved your desk to the garden shed so you can get your freak on like a crazy Bindi you are :)
You aren't :p
Tru dat!
Also:
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7556/sugarsoldbittechon1.jpg
1. no magazine exclusive content. If its there, it should be on BT's site.
2. Forced bias. There is already alot of news on Intel on Bit's site for the last 4 months... or just a lack of news and new for/from AMD?
To be fair, a good 60% of that is just Nexxo
The knock-on affects for Bit-tech, I assume, will be a bigger budget, and a 'better relationship' with manufacturers. This means there should be more reviews and more inside information. Anyone who is a subscriber to both the aforementioned magazines will notice the crossover in consumer and gaming hardware reviews. This will be probably extended to Bit-tech.
I do hope you continue to write more features, though. Custom PC has dropped significantly in quality with staff changes - I've been a reader since issue one. And, the editorial content has been replaced with ads, ads and more ads. Perhaps I'm just outgrowing Custom PC, but I think PC Pro is much better value for money. And, they've lots of editorial content - Dick Pountain's Idealog column is especially interesting to read. His column last month actually makes me want to buy his book!
Congrats Bit-staff, but I have to say it: don't f*ck this up. ;)
I get more of one then you, sanity money for controlling Tim, Geoff, Jamie AND Hiren!
#1 - Don't change BT. (Seriously, CPC online is a total mess. -Check out the number of bots in the member list.)
#2 - If there is a BT mag in the future, You MUST have a Relix swimsuit issue every year.:P
Well I hope the staff and their content don't go to shite the same way about every other takeover has conceded. And, oh, by the way, wish you all the best. Really.
Hopefully with ATI and Deneb (which look pretty interesting) they can get back in the game.
Trust me, Tim will never, EVER let that happen.
Bit-tech, I love you ;)
PC Pro, CPC, Micromart and Bit-tech :| as long as I see detailed reviews saying how crap, crap gear is, I will be happy...!
I have re-typed this part about 5 times now - I think I will leave it blank instead...
Well based on pure conjecture and speculation: The reason Dennis Publishing acquired Bit-Tech is a specific reason. You don't just go out and buy another company for the heck of it. In this case it seems to be twofold, 1. Establish a web presence, as evidenced by comments in this thread, Dennis really doesn't have a high quality web presence yet 2. Increase the number of readers of Dennis publishing sources. Both of these factors lead to an increase in future revenue for Dennis over other options available to them. If for whatever reason Bit doesn't meet the goals of Dennis because of any number of factors it is likely they will make changes to Bit in order to achieve said results. While I'm certainly happy with Bit as it currently is the acquisition by another company brings in additional views and influences that may or may not grow Bit in a similar manner in the future.
In the end companies buy other companies for two reasons, either increase revenue or cut costs. In most cases both occur through reduction of duplicate services and enhancing the offering to customers. Maybe over the short run Bit isn't going to change but it's rather silly to buy a company and change nothing. Hopefully things work out.