Key Developments For News Corporation
News Corporation (NWSA.O) (Nasdaq)
Microsoft Corp. And The News Corporation Eye Web Pact-DJ
Dow Jones reported that Microsoft Corp. and The News Corporation have held early talks about a plan that would see the latter being paid to de-index its news Web sites from Google Inc., the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. The impetus for the discussions came from News Corp., the FT reported the person as saying, however the newspaper said Microsoft had also approached other online publishers about removing their sites from Google's search engine. Microsoft's interest puts pressure on Google to start paying for content, the FT said on its Web site. It quoted a Web site publisher as saying the plan puts enormous value on content if search engines are prepared to pay us to index with them.
MEDIASET Files Antitrust Claim Against The News Corporation's Sky Italia-DJ
Dow Jones reported that MEDIASET said that it has filed a claim with Italy's antitrust regulator against The News Corporation's satellite unit Sky Italia launching a new digital key that will allow Sky's high definition TV customers to view free to air digital terrestrial TV channels. Mediaset said that the new commercial initiative by Sky Italia violates Italian and European Union competition rules and eventually damages consumers, limiting their possible choices in terms of TV offerings.
The News Corporation's Dow Jones Announces Agreement With OANDA
Dow Jones & Company, a The News Corporation company, announced it has signed an agreement to provide OANDA customers with Dow Jones's streaming currency news and information in six languages including English, Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese and Russian.
The News Corporation's Dow Jones & Company To Sell Its Interest In STOXX Ltd.
The News Corporation's Dow Jones & Company announced that it has entered a definitive agreement to sell its one-third interest in STOXX Ltd. and provide certain intellectual-property rights to its joint-venture partners for EUR206.1 million (approximately $309 million). There is an opportunity for Dow Jones to receive up to a further EUR29 million (approximately $44 million) depending on future business performance. After the transaction is complete, Deutsche Boerse AG and SIX Group will each own 50% of STOXX with Deutsche Boerse holding a one-share majority. The transaction, is expected to close by the end of first quarter of 2010.
The News Corporation Raises FY 2010 EBIT Guidance-Conference Call
The News Corporation raised fiscal 2010 guidance for operating income growth rate of high single to load double-digit above the fiscal 2009 adjusted result of $3.44 billion, from prior expectation of high single digit range growth. According to Reuters Estimates, analysts on an average were expecting the Company to report EBIT of $3.82 billion for fiscal 2010.
