News

Report: Microsoft in Talks to Buy Stake in AOL

Microsoft is in talks with Time Warner about buying a stake in the media giant's AOL unit, according to reports in the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal Thursday.

The AOL component is part of a larger discussion about how Microsoft and Time Warner might work together, according to the Journal, which cited unnamed sources. Microsoft reportedly aims to get AOL to switch its search technology from Google to Microsoft's rival Internet search engine.

The talks were described as preliminary and included discussions of combining the AOL and MSN sales teams.

Spokesmen for Microsoft and Time Warner declined comment.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Featured

  • MIT Finds Only 1 in 20 AI Investments Translate into ROI

    Despite pouring billions into generative AI technologies, 95 percent of businesses have yet to see any measurable return on investment.

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.