Viacom and Microsoft - A marriage now consummated.

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http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinv...tent-ads_N.htm

Viacom, Microsoft sign advertising, content deal
NEW YORK (Reuters) —

Viacom (VIA) said Wednesday that it has selected Microsoft (MSFT) as its Internet advertising partner in a five-year agreement that involves online games, shows and movies.

Microsoft will help Viacom place advertising on Viacom's U.S. websites and be the exclusive seller of its remnant display advertising, or ad space Viacom has been unable to sell.

As part of the deal, Microsoft will also license on a non-exclusive basis long and short-form television and movies from Viacom for the MSN portal and the Xbox 360 game system's online network.

Microsoft has also agreed to buy ads on Viacom's broadcast and online networks over five years and help Viacom establish itself as a publishing partner on Microsoft's casual Internet gaming sites.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., has tried to make inroads against Google and Yahoo's online advertising business over the past year as each company raced to buy new advertising businesses.

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Yahoo signed a deal in April with Viacom to provide search advertising for 33 of its websites.

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