In a strange turnaround of power, some websites are telling advertisers that their ads aren’t cool enough for their site, Reuters reports.

CollegeHumor.com, for example, attracts about 6 million viewers per month, earning parent Internet conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp a pretty penny in advertising revenue. The way it used to work: the publisher sold standard online formats, like banner ads,
to advertisers, and then added a little  creative punch to spice it up. But things have changed, says site co-founder and editor-in-chief Ricky Van Veen.
   

Now there are entirely new concepts being introduced – like CollegeHumor’s idea to get visitors to interact with their advertisers (Sprint Nextel Corp, Doritos, Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice brand, and Unilever’s controversial Axe campaign) to try and fulfill "their
stupidest wish ever."
   

New advertising strategies that encourage participation – certainly not a bad idea. But those visiting someplace like CollegeHumor are of course going to want to contribute a clip for Unilever’s "World’s Dirtiest Film." What about other niche sites, like, uhm, events listing sites? (Answer: sponsored emails.)

The long-term resolve is, ultimately, customization. The right ad for the right place, the right person – at the right time. What else is new? — Nevermind, we don’t want to talk about that.

Shareholders of Microsoft are calling on the company to just stop messing around with this Yahoo thing already. With a falling stock price (-3.5%) on the Nasdaq and nearly three months of rejection – enough to drive anyone insane – everyone is clamoring for someone to just "get the deal done." (via Bloomberg)

The buyout figure is still hovering at $31/share ($44.6 billion in total) and they have til Saturday deadline to decide. And if they don’t? Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer says that "the company could do anything from lowering its bid to attempting to wrest
control of the board," reports Mediapost.

The plot thickens. Yahoo has been dabbling with Google in the search market. Yang’s Number 2, Susan Decker, has dropped hint that Yahoo! is “exploring options” relating to a Google partnership. Hello? Antitrust? Though, would a MicroHoo be any better?

The Economist writes:

If the intention of such a deal is to make Microsoft increase its offer, it is likely to fail….[and] that leaves Yahoo! with one other option, long discussed but never
quite achieved: to strike a deal with Time Warner, a media giant, to
combine its web portal, AOL, with Yahoo!.
Both websites are big in web-mail, instant messaging and display
advertising. But they would never be as nimble as Google is already, or
as Microsoft wants to become with Yahoo!. After almost three months of
fighting Microsoft’s offer, Mr Yang has yet to propose a genuine
alternative. With every passing day he becomes more likely to be forced
into a deal—or forced out altogether.

Sounds serious. How long do you think they can hold out?

There just aren’t enough to go around, apparently, so more were created… (See why here.)

Six Apart, not resting on the seventh day, decided to make an ad network that would encompass the inventory of Six Apart blogs (but not including Moveable Type). Publishers – by invitation only – can join the network, and can also reject
advertisers they’re not fond of. Of course Six Apart gets a sick share of the revenues. (Otherwise, what’s the point?)

Most recently, BBN was formed by 24/7 Real Media and four b-to-b publishers (Cygnus Business Media, McGraw-Hill Cos., Nielsen
Business Media and Reed Business Information, in case you’re one of those people who are into details). What is it? An ad network of more than 200 Web sites that will
reach an estimated 10 million unique monthly visitors," reports B2B (fitting).

IDG, Penton Media and RBI-U.S. are also in on the trend, the former a collection of 100 blogs and independent technology sites
beyond its own sites, the latter two selling
segments of their own audiences.

And oh-my-green, they’re going eco, and just in time for Earth Day. Inspired by a study that said 4 out of 5 online consumers use the internet to conduct personal
research on green initiatives and products, the Burst Media Green Network (80 Web sites, reaching 2.6 million unique visitors, delivering more than 14 million ad impressions) is hooking up advertisers with access to consumers, from "committed" to the merely "curious." Sounds like an exercise in "experimentation."

From Mel to Dr. Phil, from New York to the UK, everyone wants to know. What in the hail do women really want?

Let’s start with the facts:

• Women outnumber men online (100.4 million women vs. 93.5 million men at least once a month), and by 2012, "females will outnumber males by more than 8 million." -eMarketer
• About 36.2 million women actively participate in the blogosphere every week (15.1 publishing, 21.1 reading and commenting) – courtesy of a Blogher study
• 50% of women say that their purchase decisions are affected by the blogs they read.

Putting two and two together (to reach that lucky number 4 that Beyonce and Jay-Z are so crazy about) it’s safe to say that it would be wise for anyone who is marketing to women to start, if they haven’t already, implementing a seriously kickass online strategy. Step One: find where they are. Blogs? Online networks? Shopping sites?

As Yvonne Divita writes on the Lip-Sticking – marketing to women blog – follow up here – "[...] women are using the net to do what we’ve always done -
talk to each other, build relationships, share stories and information,
and keep track of our kids."

And, she notes,

…more boomer women are finding the net a valuable
resource for meet-ups with each other. The Gen Ys and Gen Xers already know this. They’re tech savvy the
way we were phone savvy, back in the day (when our parents were sure
all that talking on the phone was going to give us brain cancer). But,
my generation, my gals, the go-green gals, the "I’m not gonna take your
flak anymore" gals, we’re discovering a whole new playground – with
events and social gatherings that speak to us in our own language. 

Some suggestions: moms’ networks, sites that specialize in organization of social events, and online versions of newly popular women’s mags, like Domino and Cookie.

Want to learn more about finding women online? (No, not in that way.) Well, if you’re not conferenced out by now, the next Blogher gathering will be in July, in the lovely city of San Francisco. Come play.

It ain’t pretty. Ziff Davis Enterprise, the former b2b division of the now-bankrupt Ziff Davis Media that was
bought by Insight Venture Partners last August ($150 million) and publisher of  Baseline, CIO Insight and eWeek, has started a companywide "restructuring" – shooting pink slips and promotions left and right, in gunslinger’s delight.

Among the winners: Larry Walsh (new VP, Channel Insider), Kirk Laughlin (managing director of Live Event business), Kevin Neary (exec-VP-CFO), and Mike Azzara (senior VP, product management). Among the losers: "an undisclosed number of staffers."

Nielsen Business Media also caved in to pressure (and rumors of being sold by parent company Nielsen) and is eliminating jobs "across the board" with equal precision and style. (No comment from the spokeswoman.)

And, saving the saddest sob story for last, how about CNET laying off 10% of its workforce (a whopping 120 people) after listening to the rants and raves of pissed-off investors?  Investment firm Jana Partners had given CNET a slap on the wrist, or rather, face, when they accused senior management of "presid[ing] over an almost 50 percent stock price decline in the last two years," saying that the company has significantly underperformed compared to its competitors in adding shareholder value.

So, CNET, you brought this misery upon yourself – stop crying.

At least Spencer Pratt showed some compassion to his dear sister:

"I’m sorry," he said, "that you’re making yourself cry."