Gawker: valleywag, steve berkowitz

Microsoft VP always has a hot seat

Jordan Golson — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:00:15 EST

Microsoft executive Steve Berkowitz, head of the MSN online division, got his house featured in this month's 425 magazine, a fancy lifestyle magazine about Seattle's eastern suburbs. Want to live like a high-powered VP? Berkowitz's home has five bedrooms, a luxury spa bathroom with soaking tub, media room, large gourmet kitchen, wine cellar, and a stunning view. My favorite part? Berkowitz's wife Carol explains:

The tile around the tub and throughout the bathroom warms toes — and more. "He leaves his pants there," Carol said. "At first I thought he was just being lazy ... but he likes to warm his clothes."

Catch more pictures at 425. (Photos by Dane Meyer and Michael Walmsley for 425)

Microsoft demotes poached Ask.com CEO

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:41:56 EST

Steve Berkowitz is out as senior vice president of Microsoft's Online Services Group, BoomTown reports. In April 2006, Microsoft lured Berkowitz away from Ask.com, where he was CEO, and charged him with running MSN's ad sales, marketing, and business development. Yep, all the stuff that's failed bad enough that Microsoft now wants to pay $44.6 billion for Yahoo. BoomTown said sources couldn't confirm whether Berkowitz is out of the company or just out his job.

Major shakeup at MSN?

Chris Mohney — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:10:20 EST

We hear there's a big showdown and resulting re-org in the works at MSN, Microsoft's online unit. The conflict has been framed in terms of relative newcomer Steve Berkowitz (of Ask Jeeves fame) versus the resisting remnants of the old online regime, i.e. online senior VP David Cole and his pal Yusuf Mehdi. True or false or somewhere in between. You tell us.