As Recession Looms, Google Looks to Uncle Sam

(NEWSER) - Microsoft and Yahoo finally officially tied the knot today, with a 10-year deal to integrate their search and advertising businesses, MSNBC reports. It appears Microsoft won't pay Yahoo up front, which is probably a blow to Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, who promised she'd only join Microsoft for a "boatload of money." Instead they'll share ad revenue, and Microsoft will pay Yahoo a traffic acquisition fee. More»

(NEWSER) - Google won’t buy the New York Times, but the companies are discussing novel ways the search giant can help the newspaper stay afloat, the Business Insider reports. Sources say one idea is for Google to split advertising revenue it takes from sites hosting Times content with the paper. Another, more far-fetched scheme has Google helping the Times embed adverting content in text so it survives reproduction elsewhere. More»

It will actually help your company in the long run

(NEWSER) - By refusing to share revenue with news providers, Google is essentially dooming itself, writes blogger Steve Outing, who has a message for CEO Eric Schmidt: “What’s the deal, Mr. Schmidt? Have you deleted Sergey Brin and Larry Page’s ‘Don’t Be Evil’ mantra from the corporate mission statement?” Hoarding ad revenue will ultimately cause Google News to lose the content it now links to. More»

(NEWSER) - A California man who used Google Earth to locate a 19th century Spanish treasure ship is suing for the right to excavate on private land, ABC News reports. Nathan Smith drove to Refugio, Texas, after spotting evidence—what it was isn’t clear—from a satellite photo. The case of Smith v. Abandoned Ship has landed in federal court, where his lawyer hopes maritime law will fall on their side. More»

Big corporate dollars missing; internal inefficiency abounds

(NEWSER) - Google is still struggling to make advertising revenues from YouTube resemble the site's popularity, the Wall Street Journal reports, with big industry heavyweights still leery about placing their ads alongside amateur video. With a well-below-expectation $200 million in ad revenue forecast this year, it's obvious "most advertisers are still testing the waters on YouTube," one exec said. More»