PaidContent Expanding to Inside.com

Recently acquired blog PaidContent has a new project with an old name.

Rafat Ali is now working to relaunch Inside.com as part of the PaidContent network. Ali told Variety the domain will be used for “gaming and traditional media” coverage as part of an “overall expansion.”

The original Inside.com — founded by former editors of New York Magazine and Spin Magazine — came onto the scene in 2000 with the promise of all the insider info on the media and entertainment worlds. It charged about $20 a month for the service — but after spending millions on promotion and marketing, it failed to come close to its subscription goal and started a rapid downfall. It was purchased by Media Holdings in 2001 and saw its staff combined with the company’s Brill’s Content publication. Needless to say, things did not end well.

Ali worked at the original Inside.com as an intern prior to its 2001 sale, he told Variety. PaidContent Co-Editor Staci Kramer apparently worked there as well, as she mentions in this blog.

Ali’s own company, PaidContent, was bought by the Guardian Group for $30 million just last month. Ali says the plans to expand to Inside.com, however, started last year — before the acquisition.

As of now, the Inside.com domain points to the PaidContent site. Ali wasn’t immediately available to give us further specifics about the future plans or a timetable for the new site’s launch.