Microsoft, Yahoo Search Ads Deal in Regulatory Purgatory: MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer August 24th 2009

If you are having trouble viewing our video player, check out MediaBytes on YouTube.

Microsoft and Yahoo’s search advertising partnership is currently under review by the Department of Justice. The deal, similar to a proposed deal between Yahoo and Google, squashed due to regulatory issues, aims to take search ad dominance away from Google, the clear leader. While the two have agreed to a long term deal, review of the venture could be under review into 2010.

Despite being rejected from the iPhone application store, both Apple and AT&T have denied any role in the denying Google’s Voice application inclusion in the store. The FCC, which is investigating the situation, believes that the telecommunications company and Apple may have agreed to reject the application as it could hurt AT&T’s mobile business. While the company claims it has yet to make a decision regarding Google voice, Apple’s agreement with AT&T stipulates that Apple may block applications from its app store if they utilized AT&T’s network to make cheap phone calls on the Internet. 

Southwest Airline’s announced that by early 2010 it plans to have Wi-Fi on its entire fleet of planes. Southwest will join Virgin America, Delta, American and United as airlines with wireless Internet, providing traveling customers another a luxury and business people a means of communication while in the air. No news on whether or not the Wi-Fi offering will be free or when exactly all flights would be equipped.

While Google enjoys a stronghold over the search market, Yahoo beats the search engine in providing up to the minute financial reports. Yahoo Finance, considered by many traders to be the premier spot on the web for real time financial market information, drew more than 21.7 million unique visitors in the US during July, more than 17.5 times the amount Google drew. The Finance page also builds revenue by selling traders and investors quotations from the NYSE and NASDAQ for up to $13.95 a month.

Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ topped the box office this weekend earning $37.6 million domestically. The film, which stars Brad Pitt, grossed an additional $27.5 million internationally to also earn the most worldwide. The film, which cost $70 million to make, nearly earned back its cost of production in its opening weekend and is poised to be a success for Weinsten Co.