CBS/Google: Analysts Say Radio Ad Deal Is Imminent

CITING EXPECTATIONS THAT A MAJOR ad sales agreement with Google is imminent, securities firm Merrill Lynch reaffirmed its 'buy' rating for CBS stock. In a report issued by lead broadcast analyst Jessica Reif Cohen and her equities research team, the Wall Street firm said a CBS/Google deal would likely be 'wide-ranging' and would include both advertising and content components. 'Although no deal was announced, we believe that the companies continue to negotiate terms of an agreement,' wrote Cohen, referring to CBS chief Leslie Moonves keynote Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The sticking points could revolve around control of advertising sales and the size of a revenue guarantee that Google would pay to CBS for being able to monetize its television content through YouTube and other Google sites.' Read more..