AllThingsD nears split with Dow Jones

Reuters reported in February that AllThingsD co-executive editors Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg had begun discussions with owner Dow Jones, a subsidiary of News Corp, about either ending or extending their partnership, which is set to expire on December 31.

Swisher and Mossberg appear to be steering clear of traditional venture capitalists and tech billionaires, likely in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest. Instead, their focus has been on finding a partner from the media sector. So far they have received proposals from three media companies, one of which is said to be NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. A fourth potential partner is circling, and it is possible that the final transaction could include multiple parties. Other companies said to have been approached include Bloomberg, Condé Nast, and The Washington Post Company. It remains unclear if Swisher and Mossberg are seeking outside money because talks have completely broken down with Dow Jones, or because they are seeking leverage in the 11th hour of negotiations. But in any case, the loss of widely-published columnists and reporters Mossberg and Swisher would be a serious blow to Dow Jones.