U.S. Regulators Probe Yahoo, Microsoft Online Ad Takeovers: WSJ

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is investigating Microsoft'splanned acquisition of aQuantive as well as Yahoo!'s proposed deal to take full control of Right Media, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The newspaper, in its online edition, cited lawyers close to the deals as saying that the FTC is conducting antitrust reviews. The FTC already is looking into another online advertising merger, Google's $3.1 billion bid for DoubleClick.

So far, the FTC has not made "second requests" for extra information from either Microsoft or Yahoo, the newspaper reported. Those requests would suggest a closer level of scrutiny.

A Microsoft spokesman told the Journal that the company is "cooperating fully" and it looks "forward to addressing any questions the FTC may have."

A Yahoo spokesman told the paper that the Right Media purchase required regulatory clearance, but that he could not comment beyond that.