As the Yahoo-Microsoft-AOL-Google-who-gets-who corporate drama continues, we see yet again another company joining the cast. This time, it’s media conglomerate Newscorp which is being tapped by Yahoo for a possible alliance, and hopefully to finally fend off Microsoft’s takeover threats.
The rumored negotiation was first reported by TechCrunch and was successively cited by both WSJ and Bloomberg. The deal would give Newscorp a 20% stake in Yahoo’s properties without taking too much control of Yahoo. In return, Yahoo would get several of Newscorp’s internet properties, foremost of which are MySpace, and some undetermined amount of cash.Although there’s no word yet coming from both parties neither confirming nor denying this deal, it would seem that a Newscorp-Yahoo alliance would be a fair deal. MySpace doesn’t suit well with Newscorp’s business like orientation while Yahoo needs MySpace’s user base to strengthen its online advertising clout.
It’s really interesting to witness this internet corporate drama as the days unfold. Let’s all hope that after the day is through, something fruitful and beneficial for all of us would come out and that all the parties involved (and will still be involved) would get something out of all this negotiations, as another internet player watches at close bay, secretly flashing a meaningful and yet devilish smile. Who? Go figure.
