News
Report: Yahoo and Microsoft in 'Informal Talks' About Merger
- By Becky Nagel
- March 13, 2008
"
MicroHoo"
could just happen peacefully after all.
CNET is reporting
this morning that Microsoft and Yahoo are now talking, at least informally,
about the merger. CNET reporter Dawn Kawamoto cites an unnamed source for the
information. "Yahoo has shown some willingness to have a conversation and
talk," the source said.
According to the report, by keeping the talks at an "informal" level,
the conversations do not have to be reported publicly; however, that also means
that they most likely haven't gotten very far.
The source also said that while Microsoft is frustrated about the pace of the
process, it's in it for the long haul. "Sure, there has been some frustration
in Redmond over the pace, but this is a marathon and not a sprint," the
source said.
Both Microsoft and Yahoo declined to comment to CNET about the report.
The report does not say when the communication between the two companies started.
Earlier this week, Yahoo lost one of the alternative suitors it was seeking
when News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch stated
at a conference that he would not battle with Microsoft: "We're not
going to get into a fight with Microsoft, which has a lot more money than us."
Just last week, Yahoo temporarily side-stepped Microsoft's attempt to nominate
new Yahoo board members who would be more open to Microsoft's bid of $44.6 billion
by pushing back the nominating deadline and suspending its annual shareholders
meeting indefinitely.
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the former editorial director and director of Web for 1105 Media's Converge 360 group, and she now serves as vice president of AI for company, specializing in developing media, events and training for companies around AI and generative AI technology. She's the author of "ChatGPT Prompt 101 Guide for Business Users" and other popular AI resources with a real-world business perspective. She regularly speaks, writes and develops content around AI, generative AI and other business tech. Find her on X/Twitter @beckynagel.