NBCUniversal Is in Talks to Buy Microsoft’s Stake in MSNBC.com

Comcast Corp. (CMCSA)’s NBCUniversal division is in talks with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) about buying out the software maker’s stake in the MSNBC.com news website.

Conversations are taking place between the two companies, Amy Lynn, a spokeswoman for NBC News in New York, said yesterday in an e-mail, without elaborating. The talks were previously reported by Adweek.

Microsoft and NBC started MSNBC in 1996, teaming up to create a 24-hour news channel and companion website. NBC agreed to acquire the news channel in 2005, leaving the Internet portion as a joint venture. The idea now would be to bring MSNBC.com under the broadcaster’s umbrella as well, giving it more control over the website and its content.

Comcast, the largest cable-television provider, acquired NBC Universal last year.

Peter Wootton, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, declined to comment on the MSNBC.com talks.

Shares of Philadelphia-based Comcast rose 0.5 percent to $28.93 yesterday, while Microsoft fell 0.1 percent to $29.07.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Sherman in New York at asherman6@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net