News Corp. is understood to be retaining a minority stake in MySpace having paid $581m for the social network in July 2005 from VC firms VantagePoint Venture Partners and Redpoint Ventures.

Specific Media, a US-based online advertising network backed by three venture capital firms, and pop star Justin Timberlake have agreed to acquire social network MySpace from publisher News Corporation for a reported $35m.

News Corp. is understood to be retaining a minority stake in MySpace having paid $581m for the social network in July 2005 from VC firms VantagePoint Venture Partners and Redpoint Ventures.

Specific Media is backed by Francisco Partners, Enterprise Partners and Shepherd Ventures.

James Mawson

James Mawson is founder and chief executive of Global Venturing.