Friday is going to be a long day for Winamp fans. TechCrunch reported earlier this afternoon that “AOL is finalizing negotiations to sell off Winamp and Shoutcast in a deal that would allow both products to live on.” The buyer is not identified, though according to writer Anthony Ha, his source says that s/he is “confident” a deal will be finalized, and that the shutdown will not happen tomorrow. It should be noted that AOL is TechCrunch’s corporate parent.
At the same time, based on what we reported earlier today, for any lapse in Winamp or Shoutcast services to be averted it will require an agreement where AOL continues support until the buyer is ready to take over. Yet our source said that the company very much wanted to wash its hands of Winamp and Shoutcast and was firm about shutting down downloads and services this month.
Of course, it is not impossible that AOL had a change of heart, connected to how much money this unidentified buyer is willing to pony up to keep the llama’s heart beating.
If the sale indeed does pan out, this is good news for Winamp and Shoutcast Radio fans alike. But, the devil will be in the details. We’ll keep you posted.
