This is so true. For a website so heavily focussed on content, tech is only a small part of the game. Case point is youtube, though the tech challange with youtube is more complex. Nevertheless, youtube now has to survive on business deals and cannot depend on tech alone, unlike google search.

Yahoo mail was garbage. News was not useful and mostly ads. Search was not great.

If you build crappy tools don't be surprised when people don't find a lot of value in them.

This doesn't necessarily mean a 'bad culture' -

a) the concept of 'tough love' is applicable

b) were engineers allowed and challenged to innovate? or did their work effort primarily consist of navigating red tape and beurocracy to the point that all creativity was crushed?

etc.

see also: dilbert.

To me a good engineering culture isn't a "nice" engineering culture, it is one where the company consistently delivers outstanding work that is on point with business requirements.