Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Microsoft is said to be in talks again with Yahoo, but “no big deal” is in the works — contradicting a report on the tech blog TechCrunch that said the software giant is discussing a full buyout of the No. 2 Web search engine. The blog report sent Yahoo’s shares up 11%. (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/06/24/yahoomsft-talks-on-but-no-big-deal-in-works 6/24)

Twitter, the free microblogging service, is closing on another round of financing, this time led by Spark Capital, along with Jeff Bezos’s investment entity, Bezos Expeditions. Twitter vows that one day it “will become a sustainable business supported by a revenue model.” (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://news.cnet.com/8301-10787_3-9976578-60.html 6/24)

A long-running legal battle over whether Mark Zuckerberg ripped off Harvard classmates in launching Facebook is moving to a courtroom in San Jose, Calif., for a fight that could end up “catastrophic” for the social-networking site, observers say. “This could be a fight for Facebook’s life.” (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_9682260?nclick_check=1 6/24)

AT&T aims to expand its services to help companies deliver digital media to consumers’ computers and mobile phones, moving into competition with outfits like Akamai. AT&T, which already has customers like Forbes.com, will spend $70 million to bolster its network infrastructure. (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2434215220080624 6/24)

New content recognition software may spark more copyright-related battles online like the recent Associated Press-blogger flap. Publishers will know which sites attract the most traffic using their articles, and may demand a cut on the associated advertising revenue. (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2008/tc20080625_325222.htm 6/25)

CBS Television Stations’ digital media group is rolling out a widget-advertising-revenue-sharing program with local bloggers at more than a dozen network-owned stations across the country. The program launched at New York’s WCBS last week and was “making money from day one.” (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.observer.com/2008/cbs-news-becomes-widget-factory 6/24)

Internet advertising spending will surpass radio this year, forecasts Steve King, head of Publicis Groupe’s ZenithOptimedia. “Internet has already overtaken cinema and outdoors. In a couple of years it’s going to overtake magazines.” Also, Publicis is forming a unit to boost Internet sales. (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=aeJ2MQBDVzKA 6/25)

Charter Communications, the fourth-largest U.S. cable operator, is backing off a plan to monitor customers’ Internet surfing data. The company was planning to harvest the data for clues to customer interests and then make money from advertisers who would use it to target pitches. (Iwantmedia 6/25, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/24/AR2008062401033.html 6/25)