Yahoo Postpones Roll Out Of Microsoft’s Ad Programs Outside of U.S.

Yahoo Inc. launched its Internet search partnership with Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. last year with the hope that the alliance would reverse a long decline in ad revenue it gets from search requests. But the deal so far isn’t generating as much ad revenue per search as Yahoo envisioned. Revenue guarantees included in Yahoo’s contract will force Microsoft to make up for part of any shortfalls through March 2012. Yahoo is further protecting itself by postponing its plan to rely on Microsoft’s search ad technology outside the U.S. until the problem is fixed.