Google, Yahoo May Ditch Talks on Ad Alliance

Deal scaled back in effort to appease anti-trust regulators

(NEWSER) - Yahoo and Google have scaled back their ad partnership in a bid to satisfy regulators concerned that the deal will run afoul of anti-monopoly rules, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal. The new deal caps the amount of revenue Yahoo can earn from the deal at 25%, and slashes the length of the agreement from ten years to two years. More»

Company says it's part of a plan to reduce accidental ad traffic

(NEWSER) - Google's share price took a big hit after quarterly results released last week showed the number of paid-for-clicks on advertising flattening out, but the company says the fall is actually good news, MarketWatch reports. Google bosses say the drop is all part of their plan to improve the quality of service by reducing the number of unintentional clicks. More»

They say other 'players in the industry' are welcome to join them

(NEWSER) - Declining tech powers, unite! Microsoft, Yahoo, and Aol have agreed to a deal that will let them sell each other’s display ads, in a bid to drive revenue up and help them compete with Google and Facebook. A Microsoft VP characterized the deal as a "rising tide that lifts all boats"; Reuters notes that the companies would still be competing with each other for ad spending and publishing partners. And the trio is betting that such a setup will ensure the deal passes antitrust muster. More»

Google wants more users for Google+, more advertising markets

(NEWSER) - Google is trying to buy rival Yahoo and has talked to at least two private equity firms about financing the deal, reports the Wall Street Journal . Despite Internet ad revenues soaring around 20% a year, Yahoo revenue has foundered for several years, spurring talk the Internet giant could go private to regroup away from the pressures of the stock market. Google is apparently interested in finding a new outlet for its omnipresent ads, Yahoo's exclusive publishing relationships, and the boost that Yahoo's 700 million unique monthly users could give Google+ . More»

(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»