Condé Nast to Cityfile: Please Return Our Editors' Domain Names

Since its inception, the gossip Web site Cityfile has been buying the domain names of powerful New Yorkers, accumulating more than 100 names, including those of Bruce Wasserstein, Jonathan Tisch and Kelly Cutrone. (When a someone tries to go to ronaldlauder.com or richieakiva.com, they are directed to Cityfile's profiles of the billionaire and the nightclub owner.)

When the Web site pointed this out, founder Remy Stern told Page Six, "We did it to promote the site, but I won't object if someone comes along with outrageous sums of money and wants to buy his name back."

Condé Nast acted quickly. Soon after his post went up, Mr. Stern received a call from one of Condé Nast's lawyers, Eric Gisolfi of Sabin, Bermant & Gould. Mr. Gisolfi requested that Mr. Stern turn over the domain names belonging to New Yorker editor David Remnick, Vogue publisher Tom Florio, Portfolio editor Joanne Lipman, Lucky's Kim France, and Glamour's Cindi Leive. (A forward-thinking Anna Wintour has owned her own domain name since 2000, though she doesn't maintain a Web presence.) But the media company didn't exactly come with "outrageous sums of money" in tow.

"We agreed and didn't ask them for anything in return--it was our Christmas gift to Condé Nast since they are struggling in the recession," the magnanimous Mr. Stern told the Daily Transom. "They need to save every penny if they want to save Portfolio." 

But Condé Nast offered to cover the registration fees of the five names, which range between $5 to $7 per name, according to Mr. Stern. The company's lawyer promised to send Mr. Stern a check, which he has not yet received. 

An email to Mr. Gisolfi and calls to a rep for Condé Nast have not been returned.