River of AdNet Conversations Turns into Flood of Dollars

Report: Microsoft earmarks $1.5 billion to keep Yahoo employees

from CNET News.com | Tech news blog by Dawn Kawamoto

Microsoft plans to set aside $1.5 billion for employee retention at Yahoo, should it succeed in its unsolicited buyout bid for the Internet search pioneer, according to court documents in a shareholder lawsuit cited by the Wall Street Journal.

The documents include transcripts of a March 24 conference call ...

AOL’s Ad Strategy Still Waiting to Kick In

from TechCrunch by Erick Schonfeld

AOL may have the widest-reaching advertising network in Platform A, but it is not seeing the financial rewards of that reach. In fact, Time Warner today announced that during the first quarter, AOL’s overall advertising revenues grew just 1 percent. Total revenues at AOL slid 23 percent because the access business continues to go away, but everybody knows that and the focus now is on whether AOL can reinvent itself as a pure Internet advertising company...

Time Warner CEO: We Haven't Yet Integrated AOL's Platform-A

from Silicon Alley Insider by Michael Learmonth

Time Warner (TWX) reported largely in-line Q1 earnings Wednesday, with increased revenue from cable networks and filmed entertainment offsetting a 23% drop at AOL. CEO Jeff Bewkes said the company has decided to spin off its cable unit, but gave no indication of timing other than "we expect to finalize a deal soon."

AdMob Offers Free Mobile Metrics Package

from TechCrunch by Duncan Riley

Mobile phone ad platform provider AdMob has launched AdMob Mobile Analytics, a Google Analytics stile service for mobile advertising.

Brooklyn-based Pontiflex Lands $2.5M Series A

from Silicon Alley Insider by Richard McRoskey

Pontiflex, a Brooklyn-based startup that runs a marketplace for the buying and selling of sales leads, got a $2.5 million Series A round today from Greenhill SAVP and New Atlantic Ventures. The two investors each contributed $1.25 million and added Brian Hirsch (Greenhill) and Scott Johnson (NAV) to Pontiflex's board.

The 12-employee company, founded in February, connects publishers with advertisers, who pay every time a reader signs up for a promotion or registers for something. Their network includes 17 million "leads" across 12 industry categories. Pontiflex says they'll use the money to expand sales and marketing efforts.

Jeff Bezos Invests $3 Million In Gaming Company Kongregate

from Silicon Alley Insider by Vasanth Sridharan

Jeff Bezos has pumped $3 million into social gaming Web called Kongregate, which the company will use to develop display advertising for its 4,000 games. This is via Bezos' personal investment vehicle, Bezos Expeditions.

The Amazon (AMZN) founder has spread his some of his $4.4 billion (or so) in several different companies: 37Signals (Web-based business applications), MFG.com (online marketplace), andLinden Lab (Second Life), among others. He also started BlueOrigin, his own space exploration company that's trying to bring spaceflight to the masses.

Innovative advertising startup TVeez gets $15M first funding

from VentureBeat by Chris Morrison

The innovative advertising startup TVeez has taken a first financing of $15 million from Benchmark Capital and Giza Venture Capital, according to the Israeli publication Haaretz.

Co-headquartered in Boston, Mass. and Tel Aviv, Israel, TVeez monitors data like sales and inventory figures to come up with targeted advertising for the retail and banking markets. This could work on in-store displays, on ATMs, or on digital signage.

TVeez already claims a successful business, with 50,000 installations in 30 countries and customers including Blockbuster and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. It was previously funded by its founders.