Posts Tagged microsoft
Microsoft may pay News Corporation to pull news content from Google listings
According to Michael Wolff, writing at Newser, on November 10, 2009:
”Rupert Murdoch continues his war with the Internet. Over the weekend, he told an interviewer (the interviewer, on Sky News Australia, works for him) that as part of his campaign to charge users for reading his content, what he plans to do is to block Google from indexing his newspapers.
As of a year ago, Murdoch had never used Google—never once, unassisted, has he run an Internet search—and so it might be reasonable to assume he doesn’t know what’s involved here.
It is quite possible he doesn’t realize—and can’t fathom—that removing News Corp.’s newspapers from Google means that, in the largest part of the information market, they would cease to count, cease to be a factor, that their absence would not register as a hole.
Nor, it is possible, does he realize that as much as 90% of his traffic comes from Google and other search engines, that even if his goal is to sell content, there is really no other way to direct people to it than through search engines.”
But Mr. Murdoch didn’t accidentally become one of the wealthiest and powerful men in the world. He wants to get paid.
It was reported today that Microsoft is the early stages of discussing a deal with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation where Microsoft will pay News Corp to provide its news content to Bing while pulling its content from Google.
To learn more please visit “For Search, Murdoch Looks to a Deal With Microsoft”
Posted by eBrand Media Research Department in Trend Tracker on November 23rd, 2009
Effective January 1st, 2010, Yahoo! will no longer support the Paid Inclusion (SSP) program!
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
As you’re probably aware, Yahoo! announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft, which is wending its way through the federal regulatory process, and which would position Bing to be the search and monetization engine for both companies. Yahoo! would focus on its strengths as a producer of Web media sites, from finance to sports, as a marketer and a leader in on-line display advertising that accompanies published Web sites.
It appears that Microsoft is pressuring Yahoo! to drop its successful and highly profitable Paid Inclusion program. The Paid Inclusion program has been a compelling and dependable source of revenue for advertisers. It consistently delivers a return on ad spend that surpasses Google, Yahoo Search, and Bing.
I can only guess that Microsoft is adopting Google’s view of ethical internet behavior and is dropping the program because it believes that it is duplicitous to allow companies to buy PPC advertising in an area of the web page that has been traditionally reserved for “free” or “organic” listings. It may fear that an association with a program that has been as controversial as the SSP program may degrade the value of the brand.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Tom Polanski, Trend Tracker on October 16th, 2009
Microsoft sues over malicious online ads
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
This article, written by, Ina Fried, discusses lawsuits filed by Microsoft against companies that are downloading scareware and spyware through ads running on their network. This is a growing problem as premium publishers turn to networks and advertisers of dubious quality because Tier 1 advertisers are buying less of their display inventory. It may be time for publishers like MSN, and The New York Times, to create a set of criteria, (a code of ethics, if you will), that an advertiser or network must meet in order to run ads on their networks.
The damage to their brands is greater than the money earned, and the quotas met, by selling inventory to anyone.
You’ll find the full article here.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising, Ethics on September 18th, 2009
Microsoft overpays laid-off workers – Seeks to collect
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
A few weeks after launching the first wide-scale layoffs in its history, Microsoft Corp. admits it messed up a key part of the plan.
The company is asking some laid-off employees for a portion of their severance back, saying an administrative glitch caused the software maker to pay them too much.
Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, would not say how many of the 1,400 workers let go in January were overpaid, or by how much. Microsoft has said severance would be calculated by length of service and position in the company.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker is asking former employees for reimbursement, by check or money order, within two weeks, according to a redacted letter posted by the technology blog TechCrunch. Gellos confirmed the letter’s authenticity.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising on February 23rd, 2009