From the reg required story:
Time Warner Inc. is closing in on an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to build an online-advertising service designed to compete with Google Inc., say people familiar with the negotiations.
After months of on-again-off-again negotiations, the two companies are now focused on a deal that would combine advertising-related assets – with minimal, if any, money changing hands. An agreement is expected to be struck sometime before year-end, but it is still possible that AOL could choose instead to deepen its relationship with Google at Microsoft’s expense.
I think this type of powerful alliance is great for publishers, providing Google Adsense and the budding Yahoo Publisher Network with some competition.
John – do you see Federated media being able to step in with a stable of top flight sites/blogs that can command higher ad prices – or at least cut out the publisher middleman.coms?
This may be a Good Selling point for AOL…
BTW:
But, it would be a Real :LOL if Aol decided to STAY with Google Organic SERPs and NOT use MSN Search Results – while partnering with them for PPC 😉
Microsoft and AOL marry their sick and ugly youngsters. Not pretty.