Microsoft is understood to be in preliminary talks with Time Warner about buying AOL, the media group’s internet unit, The Times has learnt. The software giant is understood to be keen to find alternative acquisitions to increase its internet presence after being forced to abandon plans to buy Yahoo! for $47.5 billion (£24.1 billion) at the weekend. It is not known whether the talks between the two parties began because Microsoft was trying to stymie discussions between Time Warner and Yahoo!, its initial bid target. However, it is understood that talks between Microsoft and Time Warner are continuing, even after the collapse of the software group’s offer for Yahoo!. Microsoft is interested in AOL’s similarity to Yahoo!. Time Warner’s internet unit has an estimated 85 million unique users a day on its website and plenty of advertising. The online advertising market, estimated at a yearly $40 billion, could double by 2010.http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article3876643.ece
No comments:
Post a Comment