MySpace Joins Microsoft In Battle To Buy Yahoo

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which owns Myspace, has opened talks with Microsoft in an attempt to forge a joint bid for internet search engine Yahoo, it’s been reported.

According to the New York Times, discussions between the companies are said to be at a sensitive stage.

The news comes two months after Yahoo turned down an initial $44.6 billion approach from Microsoft, saying that the computer giant should increase its offer before negotiations could commence.

Time Warner and News Corporation have also made individual approaches to act as a white knight for Yahoo.

However, a joint bid between Microsoft and News Corporation, which both offer leading interactive interfaces, could prove an irresistible offer for the search engine.

In an attempt to remain independent, Yahoo said earlier this week that it would consider outsourcing its search advertising to its biggest rival and market leader, Google.

The company is expected to run a two week experiment where Google adverts appear alongside Yahoo search results.