Rumor: Multiply to split up from ABS-CBN?

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief July 8, 2010 · 2 min read

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Ok, this one is just a rumor but I am doing some follow-ups based on a tip from a trusted source. According to my source, ABS-CBN might split ways with Multiply real soon.

In November 2008, ABS-CBN bought into Multiply with a 5% stake of the blogging/social network site for a reported US$5 million (~Php250 Million).

ABS-CBN was already selling local ads for Multiply then and this was strengthened by adding more Multiply sites for every show and TV program the network giant airs. The move was to help increase over-all site traffic and market share in the Philippines.

However, looking at Google Trends for Multiply in the Philippines, it didn’t seem to end that way:

Multiply had close to 250,000 daily unique visitors from the Philippines in early 2009 but slowly went down to under 150,000 by the end of the year.

By start of 2010, traffic continued to go down to just over 100,000 in the first quarter. There was a little bump around the time of elections, but continue to slide after that.

In the last 30 days, Google Trends estimated the traffic to be hanging in the 100k daily unique visitors a day. In comparison, Sulit.com.ph has more daily Philippine traffic than all of Multiply combined.

We don’t have solid reasons behind this alleged split-up but it’s possible that the steady decline in traffic in the last 18 months has something to do with it — which could have affected ad sales. This decline might have also been aggravated by the surge of Facebook users in the country with focus on Facebook Ads as the more popular platform.

I’m not also sure how ABS-CBN will settle the 5% stake with Multiply but the latter might just buy back those shares. Again, this is just a rumor but I think it’s worth further investigation. We’ll know soon enough if it’s really true.

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Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and is considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines.

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70 Comments

Harold · 16 years ago

@TheFilipinoEntrepreneur.com I totally agree with you. I am not too sure as to when multiply.com will vanish but if that happens, there would a lot of bloggers, sellers, etc who will suffer. It would always be better to host your own site. Nowadays, there are cheaper yet reliable webhosts.

Harold
http://PhilippineAlmanac.com

TheFilipinoEntrepreneur.com · 16 years ago

I seldom visit and log in to multiply account because I have my own hosted sites and blogs anyway. I’m just experimenting if it will benefit me one way or the other but it seems that if I promote my page on multiply.com, I’ll be just promoting multiply.com itself and if ever multiply will vanish from cyberspace along with it is my hardwork and my website. Just thinking……why there are still many sellers build online stores on multiply.com rather than host their own site and register their own domain name?

PauloDP · 16 years ago

It’s not just about the size of the site. Multiply has captured a good niche, SMEs. They just have to focus on that and continue enhancing their features for them and the buyers.

This can prove to be longer term than just by being a social network. They just have to concentrate their efforts in making sure that the sellers get constant traffic to their shops, and buyers find what they’re looking for.

If they sustain this, it’ll be a great eco-system.

Winziph · 16 years ago

i agree with sir carlo, for facebook to maintain its number one spot they should seek for additional research and development that would going to increase their social appeal in the blogosphere.

CarloBlogg Online 3.0 · 16 years ago

@dean tracy – i think you’re referring to me. :) Well of course no one can really tell when FB will go down exactly (or receive less traffic :)); that is just my opinion(and of course, as what I have said, I may be wrong :)). Yeah I think 2 years is too soon. :)
But I will have to agree on what you’ve said that nothing on the blogosphere is permanent. :D
2 years of course may be too soon judging from your data, but we all know that “it” will come eventually – Facebook may soon face the “inevitable” (unless FB of course keeps on improving its platform :D)

Alwin · 16 years ago

Facebook became popular because it’s easy to link up with the other members and Multiply realizes that by changing their business model. Just recently, they supported online sellers which was prohibited before. Still, I prefer Multiply over Facebook. The good thing about the people behind Facebook is that they’re quick to move to adapt to the needs of their members.

Harold · 16 years ago

No, ABS-CBN is just looking for yet another business opportunity where they can squeeze juice from. That could be the reason why they’re breaking up with multiply…

http://PhilippineAlmanac.com/

mark · 16 years ago

I knew it from the start… ABS-CBN is falling down… they’re not as liquid as they were before…

Gwapito · 16 years ago

Another business failure for the ABS-CBN company.

Toshiya · 16 years ago

The problem with multiply is that their framework is weak. That’s why they can’t adapt to rapid changes in technology. That’s what happening right now to friendster. Poorly coded site…

Toshiya · 16 years ago

Bakit kaya maraming tao ang nagiisip na mawawala ang facebook. matalino ang mga tao behind them compared sa multiply at kung ano ano pa. Tska hndi sa packaging bumabawi ang facebook. sa internals ng site nila. Scalable ang framework ng facebook compared sa friendster at ibang SNS sites tsaka madali sila maka adapt. Magagaling programmers nila

Di ko alam kung bakit nag invest ang abs-cbn sa site na yan… maxadong pangit ^^ bitter talga ako

mr. bogus · 16 years ago

ganyan naman ang technology, palit lang ng palit(fad)..
may mas maganda kaysa sa isa dun naman….
kahit tambakan mo ng sandamukal na advertisment ang multiply eh kung wala naman mag log in na user its useless……
dahil ang tao tinitingnan ang features hindi ang advetisment…
a reality we must admit… baka ang myspace naman ang susunod dyan….
naging sucessful ang facebook because of chat and GAMES(especially farmville and pet society), at kung meron bago sa lalabas na social networking site na mas marami pa feature sa facebook…
pustahan mawawala din ang facebook(weather weather lang yan!!!)….

Christian Cabuay · 16 years ago

I remember when the deal was announced, ABS was pulling user clips off YouTube. They had bigger exposure there and most industry people at the time saw that Multiply wasn’t the right partner. Dumb move ABS.

Harold · 16 years ago

Multiply is getting less popular. Maybe, two years, ago it became a leader in social networking with friendster as the competitor. However, when facebook made a come back last year, multiply has to suffer the decline in visitors as majority of of the people use facebook to connect to their families and friends especially for filipinos whose families are in abroad.

But as for me, I would prefer facebook over multiply even if it has a lot of privacy issues.

dan treacy · 16 years ago

should be a good move hehe.

And to the guy who said in 2 years time…we can never tell if facebook will go south, with 400m plus users and growing like 65k/day registrations correct me if im wrong on my data its like going to pluto for eternity lol. Before we thought myspace would be forever, until facebook came in and topples them down along with tagged, bebo and the likes. Gmail came in years ago and we thought hotmail would be good for keeps. Seems nothing is permanent in the blogosphere

With the ads, i believe facebook ads is more targeted and its cheaper. I think it takes time to get use to it, i never liked multiply hehe. happy weekend everyone

JayL · 16 years ago

I only use Multiply to upload my high-res photo from blog events, because I delete all those unimportant pics from my HD.

nexus3g · 16 years ago

bad investment. low traffic = low ad sales.

veg · 16 years ago

Im a big fan of multiply, and I find it an advantage for ABS CBN buying shares om multiply.
Multiply has one of the best photo album site, very useful for pictures of ABS CBN shows.
Eventhough they got low ad sales from the Philippines, their non ad sales were high enough.

Teknisyan · 16 years ago

once the market has been saturated like friendster, Myspace and Multiply, Facebook will also suffer the same fate as these other SNS… unless they can create a way for people to keep on accessing their FB account.

Like creating a way to earn money, a communication platform (email or instant message perhaps) or content like news, articles blogs and not just status messages.

Other wise another site will just come in and FB will suffer the same fate like these so called Social Networks. :)

http://www.teknisyan.net

karissa · 16 years ago

facebook and tumblr are the ones to blame
hehehehe

CarloBlogg Online 3.0 · 16 years ago

If my memory is correct, ABS-CBN bought into Multiply around the time Multiply was slowly declining (around the time Facebook is slowly booming).
I don’t think buying shares/ stakes on Social Networking sites is a good move; kasi ang traffic nila minsan based on popularity/fad.
Facebook? I think magdedecline din yun after 2 years or so. (I may be wrong, just my opinion :D)
Sana ABS-CBN bought in on some other well-grounded sites, like big G (Google), diba? :D

Herce · 16 years ago

Twit, Facebook and all the new breed of social sites are what caused Multiply’s popularity to decline locally. This year their popularity has surged and people here who used to give a multiply address now give a facebook one. Just look at your commentators.

deuts · 16 years ago

Comparing Tumblr and Multiply in Google trends, it’s more likely Tumblr will overtake Multiply maybe by the end of the year or early next year.

More and more Filipinos are using Tumblr, especially teens. The fact that you can have your own domain name and feature your own ads on it, it’s definitely more attractive than Multiply.

Jhay · 16 years ago

I can’t remember when was the lat time I logged into my Multiply.com account. It could be a year or more.

The most likely culprit would be Facebook. Ces Drilon has been mentioning the Facebook page/account for “Ako ang Simula” way before the May elections.

It cannot be helped, Multiply.com too has become yesterday’s news for Filipinos.

CHL · 16 years ago

I wonder if you know the status of Friendster?

AlRitch · 16 years ago

@Teknisyan: Couldn’t agree more.

(I thought my comments are not posted here. Got an error message earlier saying something about spam. But when I got the notification, I saw my comments posted twice. Hehe)