Sunday, December 9, 2007

Technology investors can turn to Yahoo

Yahoo is going to open up a new online program called "TechTicker" next month, for technology investors. The program will report on technology stocks, offer a daily stream of videos and blog posts, and cover breaking news live. This program will be Yahoo's "second foray into streaming-video finance." In 2000 Yahoo launched its online cable business channel, "FinanceVision." But apparently that program was not a hit and shut down within two years.

The "TechTicker" program illustrates how Yahoo is aggressively moving toward content, a feature which sets it apart from its main competetor, Google. But some analysts wonder whether the program will be able to distinguish itself from similar mediums for financial news coverage. For one thing, it will have to compete with television news programs.

“If they can get an audience aggregated around the site, it can provide an off-ramp to other Yahoo properties,” Mike McGuire, a media analyst with Gartner Inc., said. “But we have a ton of stuff that’s available on TV and any number of blogs and Web sites that provide close to real-time accounts, so this will be a real challenge for Yahoo.”

The full New York Times story can be found here.

--Anna Mavromati

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