Paid Content reports that MSNBC.com has acquired Newsvine for an undisclosed sum (speculatively estimated at $5-7 million).  Here is a snippet from the Paid Content piece:

“(Newsvine) which combines professional and user-generated content, is one of a number of social news services, often mentioned alongside Digg and Reddit (acquired by Wired a year ago). According to a post on Newsvine’s blog, the company will operate independently, while MSNBC.com explores ways to integrate Newsvine’s technology across the broader site; this is very similar to Wired’s approach with Reddit. Launched in 2006, Newsvine was started by ex-Disney and ESPN employees and has raised a total of $1.5 million from Second Avenue Partners.”

Please visit the Paid Content story for more details. I don’t generally get excited about acquisitions but it seems like the Newsvine tool or service, the ways in which it enhances interactivity or creates buzz, is the “story” in this acquisition and there is a general lesson in that for all who want to publish on the Web.