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Google rivals urge antitrust scrutiny of deal with DoubleClick

NEW YORK: Internet and media rivals to Google Inc. , fearing an unprecedented consolidation of power in the Internet advertising market, are expected to urge regulators to closely scrutinize the Internet search leader's $3.1 billion deal to buy DoubleClick Inc.

Google on Friday beat out Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. to buy Web ad supplier DoubleClick,
securing a leadership position as the Internet's top advertising business.

Industry analysts said the deal would let Google focus more attention on extending its advertising forces offline -- into the print, television and radio advertising arena.

"We're hoping it gets a very careful scrutiny by the antitrust authorities," AT&T senior executive vice president of external and legislative affairs Jim Cicconi said on Sunday.

"If Google becomes the dominant force in terms of Web advertising and becomes the broker, that would be clear evidence of market power and dominant position."

Cicconi added that Google "would be in a position to pick winners and losers and make them more dominant in other areas."

Google said on Sunday it landed a deal to sell a portion of the advertising inventory for top U.S. radio conglomerate Clear Channel Communications Inc.'s radio division. Earlier,
it landed a similar deal to sell TV ads for No. 2 U.S.

satellite television provider EchoStar Communications Corp. Shortly after announcing the deal on Friday, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said in a news conference he expected
the deal to be approved by regulators.

Microsoft and Time Warner Inc. are also seen urging
regulators to scrutinize the deal, according to a report on the
Wall Street Journal Web site.

Representatives for Microsoft and Time Warner were not
immediately reachable.