What's Behind Yahoo's Downturn

When Marissa Mayer took the helm of Yahoo four years ago, she vowed to reinvigorate the technology company as a major media brand. Her most visible strategy - big bets on big names, like hiring Katie Couric as Yahoo’s “Global Anchor.” And it seemed like the bet was paying off - Couric’s original interviews were viewed millions of times. In August, Mayer made her last high-profile hire, Martha Nelson, the former top editor of Time, Inc. But less than a year later, Yahoo is in bad shape. It will shed 15 percent of its staff and its core business may be up for sale. The reason for the failure, according to a new article in Vanity Fair, is that Yahoo’s new talent has been competing with Kim Kardashian’s...uh...rear end for clicks.