RSSMicrosoft Actively Lobbying Against Doubleclick Deal
By Ed Oswald | Published August 16, 2007, 3:01 PM
Microsoft is actively getting into the business of lobbying the federal government to reject the Google-DoubleClick merger, government documents indicate.
A Wednesday Associated Press article detailed a lobbying disclosure form that the Redmond company is required to file with Congress. It showed that Microsoft hired Patton Boggs LLP to lobby the government concerning the DoubleClick merger.
Microsoft would not address the subject specifically in requests for comment, only offering that Google's attempt to acquire the advertising network should be closely reviewed.
The company is fresh off completing its own advertising merger, having closed a $6 billion deal with aQuantive. Microsoft has hopes that the acquisition will put it on more even footing and strengthen its position in the ad industry.
The DoubleClick merger has been one of the most highly contested tech mergers of 2007. Several groups have already filed complaints with the FTC saying that the merger could harm user privacy, and Congress has expressed concern with Google controlling too much of the ad industry.
Both houses of Congress plan to hold hearings on the subject in the Fall.
Hold on. Is Active Lobbying along the same trademark family as ActiveX and ActiveSync? :)
Score: 0
|xyzcb1 I agree with your comments to a point. That is the hardware manufacturers also have a lot to answer for. That is they only bother to make drivers for hardware to which parts ink etc is exlusively made by them. Once that hardware parts, ink etc is sold generic then they do not bother to make drivers for them for vista operating system. That is because the public pay less than have for the generic parts ink etc. Microsoft has been aware of this. Therefore it is the responsability of Microsoft to ensure that its clients who bought vista os in good faith get a fair go.
Score: 0
|We should only want this merger if it results in Doubleclick being dismantled. They are one of the biggest causes of spam in existence, no matter what they claim. If it was possible for BOTH sides to lose out here, thats what I'd pray for.
Score: 0
|makes me wonder who Google hired to do there busness ?
Score: 0
|Just another reason to support Google.
Score: 0
|Microsoft hates google with a passion. That is because google unlike any other company offers products and services for free that competes with microsoft. Microsoft throws countless millions and updates to their search engine and still just cannot catch up with any of the leaders in this market.
Microsoft needs to find new revenue streams, its facing competition on all sides and if it can't find new profitable markets they are going to be a shadow of their former self in time.
Score: 0
|you're conflicting with yourself, this is the reason Microsoft is entering this market for additional revenue streams!
So what you want but they are no longer a one trick pony.
here Microsoft's quater earnings, granted these numbers are in millions
Client $3,808
Server and Tools $3,082
Online Services Business $688
Microsoft Business Division $4,633
Entertainment and Devices Division $1,159
Unallocated and Other $1
ang Google's
Revenues 3,871,985
one line you say? well take a guess, yep you guessed it, it's mostly advertising. if search advertising went down to 33% what do you think is going to happen to their revenue, they would probaly be on the brink.
Score: 0
|You forgot to mention market capitalization. Google's current market cap is roughly twelve times Microsoft's. I might mention that Google is now giving away an office suite that normally sells for $80.00 and it has no nag screens. Steve Ballmer is Google's best friend.
Score: 0
|Microsoft the monopolies’ King wants the Congress to review carefully Google’s Double
Click merger. This is “the largest joke of all jokes”. What Microsoft should concentrate on is to make better products and stop ripping off the public by selling a product like vista which is not compatible with the existing hardware. No even with hardware that is compatible with xp. Concentrate in making a better product Microsoft your support for a “certain” company to prevent to put everyone in court in order to prevent the development of linux has failed (a recent decision by a judge has made Novell the copyright owner) so much for ventures for market control and further monopolize what you have monopolized for a very long time.
Score: 0
|Please cite your source, and stop spreading false information. What hardware doesn't work in Vista? If that's the case, then the hardware developers are the one to blame.
And since when competitions is not a great thing? If Google own the ad domain, guess what happen to smaller players want to get in? And guess how much Google going to price it when you try to buy ad space with them. MS is doing what need to be done to keep this business competitive for everyone.
Score: 0
|Haha! This is kinda funny coming from Microsoft, of all companies.
Score: 0
|Google does something and MS tries to stop it.
MS does something and Google tries to stop it.
It's just going to keep going in circles until one company dies off.
Score: 0
|It's just going to keep going in circles until one company dies off.
I'd suggest not holding your breath on that one...
Score: 0
|yea... thats not happening anytime soon.
Score: 0
|Duplicate post.
Score: -1
|Certainly not Google... MS might get acquired one day.
Score: 0
|That was kinda hinden in there... as in, they'll just keep doing it, but neither are likely to go anywhere.
I guess I should have been a little bit more clear on that one. oh well. To late now. =)
Or maybe we'll have: "Windows Live Google" or a "windows.google.com"
Score: 0
|Yeah right, Microsoft is in much better financial shape than Google and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
Score: 0
|