Time Warner looking to buy more internet advertising companies

Also looking to put kiosks for digital movie downloads in Wal-Mart stores

6 December 2006 10:55 GMT / By Amber Maitland

Time Warner's Chief Executive Richard Parsons sounded off on a number of topics in recent interviews, and has made it clear that the company is looking to acquire more internet-based businesses.

AOL switched earlier this year to an advertising-supported service provider rather than subscription-supported one, which seems to have paid off, as its shares have risen 24% since the change in August.

When asked by the moderator at the Credit Suisse media and telecom conference in New York if there were any “size limititations” to the companies that Time Warner is looking to acquire, Parsons replied, “No. Almost anything you could think of other than the really big established portals is within striking distance for us”.

In an unrelated interview with Reuters last week, Parsons said that the company was interested in companies with technology that allows them to target embedded advertising to the viewer's tastes.

Parson's also said that Time Warner was unlikely to sell off its internet access business in the US as it had done in Europe, and that the company is planning to install kiosks in Wal-Mart stores that download movies and burn them to DVDs.

Time Warner is also eyeing a subscription service for digital movies that uses existing technologies and devices.