After eight years of charging users for messaging one another Friends Reunited has decided to go free – pretty major news I’d say. I’m wondering what fantastic business model they have up their sleeve as overnight revenues will be down by 40%.

Given that Friends is not Facebook, Bebo, MySpace or LinkedIn I think their success will be down to defining themselves as a distinct entity. And given that they’re owned by ITV, building media around your salad days would seem like a natural progression – I’m thinking tailored TV channels (class of ’85), lo-fi reunion shows, essentially arrogating media around key points in peoples lives.

Stay tuned.