Yahoo and Right Media: FTC Green light
It’s a green light for Yahoo’s purchase of advertising auction company Right Media. Today, the FTC waiting period expired with a request for more information.
Under the terms of the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Act (HSR), companies are required to give regulators a 30 day window to request further information. The expiration of the waiting period absent further inquiry means there will be no further anti-trust review. Legally the transaction is deemed to have satisfied the requirements of the Act.
Of the four major ad service firm acquisitions announced over the past few months, the Yahoo Right Media deal was the third to navigate regulatory review without issue (as was largely expected). The only deal still under review is Google’s proposed purchase of display ad company DoubleClick.
Microsoft’s purchase of aQuantive cleared FTC review recently, and WPP’s acquisition of 24/7 media also went through without a hitch.
Google’s DoubleClick deal probably won’t be blocked but it’s getting a much closer look. FTC officials are not allowed to comment on investigations in progress but they are apparently being extra careful to review the concerns of consumer privacy groups and insure the combined advertising entity won’t create antitrust issues.
