LiveJournal's new owner plans to introduce more commercial features this year as the Russian internet scene begins to explode. Andrew Paulson, CEO of upstart Moscow media investment vehicle Sup, said SixApart, from which it bought the community in December, had "not paid very much attention to monetizing" it… though LJ was Russia's fourth biggest website, SixApart "had done nothing to get it there and wasn't doing anything to maintain its position". Paulson now claims to have more than doubled Russian LJ traffic since the acquisition and - despite recent user outcry that forced a reversal of a decision to axe the free basic offering, leaving only premium subscriptions - is planning more "payment relationships with our clients". "If you've got a company that has two revenue streams, keep 'em," he said, expecting to roll out new pay-for features in the next few months.
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