Jossip Initiative, the company that owns the snarky, mediacentric Website jossip.com and other ventures, is on the block, sources say.
The company, founded by David Hauslaib in late 2003, is believed to be making money, although it remains something of a boutique industry.
In addition to jossip.com, it has three other sites: mollygood.com, a celebrity site; queerty.com, a gay lifestyle site; and stereohyped.com, aimed at a black audience.
Reached yesterday, Hauslaib suggested a joint venture or a minority investment – rather than an outright purchase of the whole company – might be in the offing.
He declined further comment.
Pumping the price somewhat is a wild rumor that Condé Nast might have taken a look.
How serious that interest may be is open to debate. One insider at the Condé Nast parent company, Advance Publications, said that “the odds of us trying to buy the site are between zero and negative numbers.”
Condé Nast spokeswoman Maurie Perl said, “We never discuss the subject of acquisitions. We have no comment.”
Jossip.com has retained Sperry Mitchell & Co. to sort out the field.
Andrew Mayve, a vice president at Sperry Mitchell said, “David has retained me as his banker for purposes of evaluating any business opportunities that come his way.”