The prices folks pay these days for websites are starting to make the “dot com” days of the 90s look like the bargain basement era. The latest big bucks deal: AOL’s purchase of the online news site, Huffington Post, for a mere $315 million.

Speculation among analysts is that AOL, once the Internet darling that nearly everyone used, is eager to use some of its cash to revitalize the company.

As the era of “content as king” emerges to set tech firms apart from the pack, there are few acquisitions with content as rich as “Huff Po.” Known for its decidedly left leanings, the site reaches more than 20 million unique visitors each month, making it one of the most popular news and commentary sites on the Internet.

Founded in 2005 by once-right-wing pundit, Ariana Huffington (who appears to have had an abrupt ideological epiphany during the George W. Bush era) the site is privately owned, so there’s no public reporting on sales or earnings.

Tags: AOL, Ariana Huffington, Huffington Post, sale