One PR implication of the CNN/Mashable rumor

Media tongues are wagging this morning over a report that CNN is going to buy Mashable for $200 million. The way this story came to light is something PR professionals should pay attention to.

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That’s the word around the Internet this morning and on the ground at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin.

The way the story broke may be a signpost for the future of traditional media, and it’s something PR professionals should be paying attention to.

On Sunday, Reuters blogger Felix Salmon recorded a short video from SXSW, in which he said a “little bird” told him about the CNN, Mashable deal. The video is part of Reuters’ burgeoning TV project.

The deal will be announced on Tuesday, Salmon said. Though he added the caveat: “Is this true? I don’t know, but it’s entirely plausible.”

That match ignited conversation on Twitter and at SXSW. This morning, The New York Times published a report with three anonymous sources saying Mashable and CNN were in advanced talks. Neither side offered a comment on the record.

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