Capsearch breakup.

A media marriage has ended here in Outtakes' own downtown digs. Arkansas Business LP, the publisher of this and other fine periodicals, has, after more than a year of investing, severed ties with Capsearch, a Web-based startup that mainlines state legislative data to its users.

"We just made the decision that we wanted to put our capital into some other areas and into our core publishing business," said Jeff Hankins, the publisher of Arkansas Business. "I think Capsearch.com has some aspirations of taking its product nationally, and that was just not something we wanted to put capital into."

Capsearch was launched and is run by Matt Price, Gov. Mike Beebe's former spokesman, and Katie Bodenhamer, a former deputy general counsel for Beebe.

When contacted for comment, Price e-mailed: "Arkansas Business gave us our start, we would never be what we are today without them and will always be grateful."

Capsearch does plan to expand to other states and has hired a technical officer, Karl Hills, to help build, according to Price, "a more robust social tool that will allow members to work together and share information."

Current clients and other interested parties will share information (and drinks) at an Oct. 29 reception at Winrock International.

BY SAM EIFLING

An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media