Reporter’s Notebook: How Buying a Media Company Catapulted Masayoshi Son Into the U.S. Tech Scene
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Masayoshi Son, chairman and chief executive officer of SoftBank Group Corp., speaks at the SoftBank World event in Tokyo, Japan, on July 16. Photo: Bloomberg
SoftBank recently resumed issuing overseas bonds to actively raise funds for its AI investments. But 20 years ago, the company was an obscure name. When it made an acquisition in the U.S., The New York Times ran the story on page six with a headline that mentioned neither SoftBank nor its founder, Masayoshi Son. It just said, “a Japanese company.”
It was precisely this acquisition — the purchase of a tech media company — that helped Son enter the U.S. market, successfully break into the tech community, and become an insider.
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- In 1995, SoftBank acquired Ziff-Davis Publishing for $2 billion, gaining critical influence in the U.S. tech ecosystem and enabling founder Masayoshi Son's global ambitions.
- The deal provided SoftBank with key industry insights, networks, and early access to investment opportunities, helping drive investments in Yahoo, E*TRADE, GeoCities, and Alibaba.
- The Ziff-Davis acquisition marked a turning point for both SoftBank and Japanese investors in U.S. tech, establishing credibility and facilitating global expansion.
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Who’s Who
- SoftBank
- SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, actively raises funds for its AI investments. The company gained entry into the U.S. tech market and community through its 1995 acquisition of Ziff-Davis Publishing. This strategic move provided SoftBank with crucial insights, networks, and deal flow, laying the foundation for its subsequent global expansion and investments in companies like Yahoo and Alibaba.
- Ziff-Davis Publishing
- Ziff-Davis Publishing was a New York-based tech media group acquired by SoftBank in 1995 for $2 billion. It controlled prominent tech publications like PC Magazine and provided crucial tech information and insights. This acquisition helped SoftBank's founder, Masayoshi Son, enter the U.S. market, gain influence within the tech community, and later invest in companies like Yahoo and Alibaba. Ziff-Davis Publishing continues to operate today and is currently involved in a lawsuit against OpenAI.
- COMDEX
- In 1994, SoftBank acquired COMDEX, a computer dealers' exhibition. This acquisition complemented SoftBank's later purchase of Ziff-Davis, allowing SoftBank to connect entrepreneurs and investors through these platforms. The synergy between COMDEX and Ziff-Davis helped build an innovation network, laying the groundwork for SoftBank's broader ecosystem building.
- Yahoo
- The article mentions that SoftBank invested in Yahoo in 1996 and subsequently drove the establishment of Yahoo Japan. This investment was part of Masayoshi Son's early internet strategy, following SoftBank's acquisition of Ziff-Davis, which helped position SoftBank at the center of the dot-com boom.
- E*TRADE
- E*TRADE was one of the landmark companies that SoftBank invested in after its acquisition of Ziff-Davis. This investment was part of a series of strategic moves by Masayoshi Son to position SoftBank at the center of the dot-com boom.
- GeoCities
- SoftBank invested in GeoCities after its acquisition of Ziff-Davis in 1995. This investment was part of a series of strategic moves by SoftBank's founder, Masayoshi Son, to position the company at the center of the dot-com boom. GeoCities was one of several landmark companies, including Yahoo and E*TRADE, that SoftBank invested in, leveraging the insights and connections gained from the Ziff-Davis acquisition.
- Alibaba
- Alibaba is mentioned in the article as one of the "landmark companies" in which SoftBank invested. SoftBank's investment in Alibaba occurred after the acquisition of Ziff-Davis, suggesting that the insights and connections gained from that acquisition might have played a role in identifying such promising opportunities. This investment helped SoftBank position itself at the center of the dot-com boom.
- OpenAI
- The article mentions that OpenAI is currently facing a lawsuit from Ziff-Davis Publishing over copyright issues. This information appears in the context of summarizing the current activities of entities previously involved with SoftBank, highlighting that while SoftBank's founder Masayoshi Son has partnered with OpenAI, Ziff-Davis is suing them.
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What Happened When
- 1994：
- Masayoshi Son attempted and failed to acquire Ziff-Davis Publishing for $1.6 billion.
- 1995：
- SoftBank acquired Ziff-Davis Publishing for $2 billion, marking its first major acquisition in the U.S. tech media sector.
- By 1995：
- SoftBank had previously acquired COMDEX, the computer dealers’ exhibition, a year before buying Ziff-Davis.
- 1996：
- Masayoshi Son invested in Yahoo and initiated the creation of Yahoo Japan.
- By 2000：
- SoftBank exited its investment in Ziff-Davis.
- As of 2025-10-24：
- Masayoshi Son is a world-renowned investor, Ziff-Davis Publishing continues to operate, is suing OpenAI over copyright, and Son announced a high-profile partnership with OpenAI in 2025.
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