Media Digest 4/16/2007 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Barron's

According to Reuters, bidders for Clear Channel (CCU) will improve their offer and let shareholders co-invest with them. The private equity deal has been attacked as having too low a price.

Reuters writes that Google‘s (GOOG) rivals including Microsoft (MSFT) and Yahoo! (YHOO) are claiming that the big search engine’s purchase of ad serving company DoubleClick may violate antitrust laws.

Reuters writes that Google (GOOG) will have rights to sell ad inventory for radio chain Clear Channel (CCU), but only 5% of the company’s inventory will be offered by Google.

Reuters writes that Toyota (TM) hopes to sell 500,000 vehicles in China in 2008. Toyota expects to sell 430,000 units there this year.

The Wall Street Journal writes that private equity firms and banks JP Morgan (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) will buy Sallie Mae (SLM) for $25 billion, a 50% premium to its recently price.

The WSJ reports that Microsoft (MSFT) and Adobe (ADBE) will each launch software that will increase competition between the two companies in creation of web pages and playback of video.

The NYTImes writes that Intel (INTC) will introduce a new line of chips for mobile computers. The hardware will allow users to connect to WiFi, WiMax and satellite.

FT reports that OPEC nations are indicating that they will supply additional oil if it appears that their is a sharp increase in demand.

Barron’s writes that shars in Adobe (ADBE) may be cheap now that it is launching its next generation of web tools.

Douglas A. McIntyre