Business briefs: Reed Elsevier, Yahoo-Microsoft

Posted by Paul McNally on 24 February 2008 at 17:21
Tags: Advertising, Journalism, Media Business

Rivals to Yahoo! and Microsoft are expected to voice their concerns that a merger of the two companies would give the group too much power. According to the Times, combined Microsoft and Yahoo! would control three quarters of the webmail and instant messaging market and around a quarter of all online advertising. The Sunday Telegraph, meanwhile, says Microsoft has promised Yahoo! staff it has no plans for mass job cuts if its takeover succeeds.

Senior executives at data firm ChoicePoint are set to receive multi-million-dollar windfall payments after Reed Elsevier offered to buy the firm for £2.1bn this week. Reed announced the acquisition on Thursday, along with the proposed disposal of B2B magazine publisher Reed Business Information, as part of a move towards subscription-based services and away from ad-funded businesses. (Financial Times)

Tags: Advertising, Journalism, Media Business