Show Former executive is named chief at Joe Flint Los Angeles Times It got Rupert Murdoch on the cover of Wired Magazine cost Tom Freston his job as chief executive of Viacom and even spawned all book n.- n. But now News Corps has gone from crown jewel to problem child Although remains the largest social network in the US U.S. rival which rules the rest of the world is closing the gap fast In terms of buzz its it's no contest at all has gone from the place where the cool kids hang out to the scary house down the street that parents tell their children to stay away from Int Integrating grat e into the rest of News Corp also has roved proved roved som something thing of ofa a challenge Rather than use as the major platform for programming from its Fox TV operations it opted instead to team up with NBC Universal and create Hulu as the online home for its content Now its it's up to former fonner O Owen wen Van VanNatta Natta to reinvigorate Van Natta on Friday was named chief executive of just days after News Corp announced that founder co Chris DeWolfe would leave before his contract expired As chief revenue officer and vice president of operations Van VanNatta VanNatta VanNatta Natta played a key role in inthe inthe inthe the sites site's evolution from a college clique to worldwide block party But social are a fickle bunch and comebacks are hard to manufacturer Just ask Even probably is looking over its shoulder at Twitter the fast- fast rising site Van lattas latta's first task may maybe maybe maybe be updating look and technology The site seems tired compared with which sometimes takes heat for all its tinkering but ultimately is quicker to respond to how its members are using it Another challenge will be building ad revenue The social networking sites site's groundbreaking million deal with Google ends in the spring of 2010 and those will be tough dollars to replace Though online ad advertising continues to grow at a far faster pace than traditional media it too is being hit by bythe bythe bythe the economic downturn as aswell aswell aswell well as concerns about its effectiveness Van Natta also may be walking into hostile territory as many of the years working with the now-exiled now DeWolfe and its president Tom Anderson who may follow DeWolfe De out of the company he helped build And then there is Murdoch himself is still a akey akey akey key part of News vo Cori Corps D s 's Internet strategy strategy but pit It if doesn't take much to fallout fallout fall fallout out of favor with the mOg mogul I Just ask the Los Angeles Dodgers and |