---
title: "Yahoo: A negotiation Company"
date: 2005-10-05T21:11:10Z
modified: 2005-10-05T21:11:10Z
permalink: "https://redmonk.com/jgovernor/yahoo-a-negotiation-company/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 368
categories:
  - Uncategorized
timestamp: 2005-10-05T21:11:10Z
tags:
  - Uncategorized
---

Just after my [last post](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/archives/001016.html), where I spoke to some of the issues behind the creation of Open Content Alliance, I noticed [this Forbes story](http://www.fortune.com/fortune/technology/articles/0,15114,1086026,00.html), and it potentially makes a superb coda (well it would if i had access to all the content, but no matter, that’s Forbes decision.)

The central argument seems to be right on, namely that Terry Semel, Yahoo’s CEO is a _master deal maker_, he’s a negotiator. He deals with content, media and publishing companies and knows how to talk to them. He speaks their language and [understands their fears](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/archives/000214.html).

Business success is often predicated on the ability to do deals.

Google, unlike Yahoo, seems more like a “take it or leave it” company. \[recent deals with Sun and IBM notwithstanding\]

We’ll see which approach pays the greatest dividends in the next couple of years. Avoiding lawsuits seems like good business practice but what do I know – Microsoft evidently isn’t phased by legal challenges.