Viewpoint to buy Unicast for $7.4 million

Video software specialist Viewpoint said Thursday that it has agreed to buy Unicast, whose technology delivers commercial-like ads online, for about $7.4 million in cash and stock. The acquisition, which is expected to close by Dec. 31, will build on New York-based Viewpoint's online ad delivery and creation business by adding Unicast's client roster and software. Unicast, also based in New York, develops signature ads called the superstitial and the video commercial.

Viewpoint also develops toolbars that plug into browsers and promote Web search. It distributes the toolbars--nearly 7 million so far--by bundling them with America Online's instant messaging software.