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June 17, 2008 10:02 PM PDT

Microsoft to buy TV ad service

by Ina Fried

Microsoft said late Tuesday that it has bought Navic Networks, a company that helps television advertisers manage their ad campaigns.

The move will gives Microsoft a broader reach into the spot where advertisers spend the most.

"Television media represents the largest percentage of advertisers and agencies' media budget today," Microsoft Senior Vice President Brian McAndrews said in a statement. "Together, Navic and Microsoft will deliver addressable television advertising solutions to help our partners better manage media spend by increasing advertiser reach and ROI, and maximizing publisher yield on television advertising."

The move comes just six days after the company failed to reach an accord with Yahoo, leading the Internet giant to strike an ad deal with Google instead.

Based in Waltham, Mass., Navic has raised $43 million in three rounds of funding, according to its Web site. Investors include: Pilot House Associates, Highland Capital Partners, Himalaya Capital Ventures, and Pequot Ventures.

During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina.
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by Renegade Knight June 18, 2008 6:55 AM PDT
Does this mean MicroSoft has given up in the tech biz? I'm hard pressed to see the advantage of buying this company unless they plan on extending the ad planning biz to the internet as well.
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by TotallyMadeUpName June 18, 2008 7:37 AM PDT
Microsoft doesn't know what it wants to do or be anymore, does it?
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by JCPayne June 18, 2008 12:50 PM PDT
WebTV 3? with ads this time... Anyone want to finally buy one of their devices now?
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by lukepuplett June 18, 2008 11:59 PM PDT
With OTA TV in decline for the next decade, its a smart move to begin Hoovering up the people that are good on the traditional medium, now.
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About Beyond Binary

During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft.


Beyond Binary is a look at how technology is changing our lives and the people behind all that life-changing stuff, with an extra emphasis on that which emanates from Redmond, Wash.

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