The joint advertising venture between Yahoo and Google has run into some major opposition:

“The Association of National Advertisers sent a letter objecting to the proposed Internet search advertising partnership between Yahoo Inc and Google Inc to government regulators reviewing the deal, the group said on Sunday.

The letter to Assistant Attorney General Thomas Barnett, noted that “a Google-Yahoo partnership will control 90 percent of search advertising inventory,” the ANA said in a statement.”

link: Advertiser group objects to Google-Yahoo tie up

The concern is the near monopoly that this partnership will create. That domination may be able to dictate advertising costs in an unprecedented manner. The irony is that this Yahoo / Google collaboration is defensive manoeuvre to prevent a buy-out from Microsoft. There are concerns that a Microsoft / Yahoo merger would be in itself a monopolistic concern.

Catherine Forsythe