Last Year China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba announced to buy Hong Kong’s oldest English newspaper the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and other media properties for an undisclosed amount.
People related to tech and e-commerce world was surprised on this move. Many were asking questions on motive of acquisition?
But People very close to Jack Ma said, Ma’s ambition to explore the media business is strategic. His e-commerce empire has seen him invest in the media sector and he has publically spoken about his interest in the sector. Jack Ma knows clearly why American and other European companies rule over the world? Reason is Media. So why not invest in it to sustain your power.
Jack Ma recently told Bloomberg TV during an interview in November that Alibaba needs the media to promote SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). He said the media can report financial news more accurately using Alibaba’s data.
Below is a list of media organizations that Jack Ma and Alibaba have invested in:
- In April 2013, Alibaba made a strategic investment in e-Business review, a Chinese magazine modeled after the Harvard Business Review.
- In March 2014, Alibaba took a 60% USD $800m stake in China Vision Media – now renamed Ali Pictures.
- In May 2014, Alibaba’s subsidiary Yunxin Investment Management Ltd. was reported to have acquired a 40% stake in Huxiu.com, one of China’s leading technology blogs for business information and commentary.
- In June 2015, Alibaba invested RMB 1.2 billion for a 30% stake in China Business News, a financial TV and newspaper company that is part of the Shanghai Media Group.
- In September 2015, Alibaba began cooperating with Chinese financial magazine company Caixin to launch Wujie Media, an online-only news provider.
- In October 2015, Alibaba partnered with Sichuan Daily to launch the online media property Fengmian Media.
(With contributions from Mochou Lee)