April 30, 2007
Originally published in SiteProNews.com

Concluding a story first published here as a rumor from ad|tech on Thursday April 26, Yahoo! has announced it will purchase the remaining 80% of the Right Media Exchange for approximately $680mm in cash and stocks.  Yahoo! had already taken a 20% stake in the company with a strategic investment in Right Media in October 2006.

Based in New York City, Right Media is the largest emerging online advertising exchange. By brokering advertising across the tens of thousands of publisher sites associated with the exchange, Right Media helps publishers monetize their ad inventories and webmasters monetize their sites. Founded four years ago, Right Media uses an open auction system which allows publishers and advertisers sell and purchase online ad placements in real time.

"The acquisition of Right Media will further Yahoo!'s goal to create the industry's most open, accessible and vibrant advertising marketplace, which will help democratize the buying and selling of digitally enabled advertising," said Terry Semel, chairman and CEO of Yahoo! in a press release. "This acquisition is an important step in our long-term vision to build the industry's leading advertising and publisher ecosystem. We believe that Yahoo!'s open approach is a clear differentiator from others in the industry and provides significant benefits to advertisers, publishers and Yahoo! itself."

As the largest online publisher with one of the largest ad networks Yahoo! will increase both the distribution power and inventory depth of the Right Media Exchange.

“What we look forward to do as an owner is put more inventory into that pot to help create a more vibrant exchange and create better pricing for everyone,” said Semel.