Thomson Reuters Disposing Off Business Info Service Dialog to Proquest
This story was written by Rafat Ali.
Dialog, one of the oldest electronic/online informations businesses, is being disposed off by the newly merged Thomson Reuters (NASDAQ: TRIN). It is being sold to ProQuest. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition of Dialog would allow ProQuest to expand more in the corporate library and professional research markets. Proquest itself was sold to Cambridge Info Group in 2006. Dialog would continue to a distribution channel for Thomson Reuters content after the transaction.
The Dialog business has changed hands many times since it was founded in 1968 (40 years ago, yes!). It was part of Lockheed Missile and Space Company back then. In 1988, it was sold off to Knight-Ridder, and in 2000, Thomson acquired Dialog. The eventful history of the company is here. More details on the deal are here in the release.
By Rafat Ali