Who founded CNET and when was it started?
CNET was founded in 1992 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie after Halsey Minor left PepsiCo. It launched initially as a 24-hour cable television network focused on computers and technology.
Questions about CNET
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How much did CBS pay to acquire CNET Networks?
CBS Corporation paid $1.8 billion to acquire CNET Networks. The deal was announced on the 15th of May 2008 and completed on the 30th of June 2008.
What was the CNET AI content scandal about?
Starting in November 2022, CNET published articles written by artificial intelligence without disclosing the practice to readers, and some AI-generated pieces appeared under human bylines. A review in January 2023 found many of those articles contained serious errors and plagiarized material, leading to staff layoffs and employee unionization.
How much did Red Ventures pay for CNET and what did it sell for?
Red Ventures acquired CNET for $500 million in October 2020. It later sold CNET to Ziff Davis for $100 million, completing the sale in the third quarter of 2024, representing a substantial loss in value attributed to reputational damage from the AI scandal, higher interest rates, and a slower advertising market.
What happened with CNET and the CES Best in Show award in 2013?
In January 2013, CNET's staff voted the Dish Network Hopper with Sling as CES Best in Show, but CBS disqualified it because CBS was in active litigation with Dish Network. The Consumer Electronics Association subsequently removed CNET's authority to decide the award on the 31st of January 2013.
What was CNET Gamecenter and why did it close?
CNET Gamecenter was one of the first websites devoted to computer gaming news, launched in mid-1996 and drawing between 50,000 and 75,000 daily visitors by late 2000. It closed on the 7th of February 2001 as part of a redundancy reduction effort following an almost $400 million loss at CNET during the dot-com crash, with GameSpot retained as the surviving gaming property.