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NetRatings Gains Clout
In a further move towards concentration in the Internet panels sector, NetRatings has acquired ACNielsen eRatings.com and in a separate transaction, Jupiter Media Metrix's contracts for European Internet audience measurement.
ACNielsen eRatings.com is a joint venture 80.1% owned by VNU's ACNielsen and 19.9% owned by NetRatings. The companies jointly produce the Nielsen//NetRatings service which tracks audiences, advertising and user activity on the Internet globally. Under the terms of the deal, NetRatings has acquired the 80.1% of ACNielsen eRatings.com that it does not already own for 749,341 shares of NetRatings stock, worth USD9.6 million. VNU continues to own a majority of the NetRatings shares outstanding.
In addition, NetRatings and Jupiter Media Metrix have settled the latter's pending patent infringement case against NetRatings. Under the terms of the settlement, NetRatings has acquired Jupiter Media Metrix's patents for computer use tracking and granted JMM a non-exclusive, assignable license to use the patented technology in its U.S. Internet audience measurement business until the end of June 2005, for which Jupiter Media Metrix will pay license fees. In addition, as part of the settlement, JMM has granted NetRatings a perpetual non-exclusive royalty-free license in certain proprietary software associated with the utilisation of the patented technology.
In a separate transaction, NetRatings has acquired JMM's contracts for European Internet audience measurement and certain related assets for USD2 million in cash.
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