Yesterday, we reported Google signing an agreement with Clear Channel which enables Google to air audio ads on 675 stations. Today, Yahoo! has struck a deal with 12 U.S. newspaper companies which make it their exclusive paid search partner.

According to Search Engine Watch, consortium members as announced last November are Belo Corp.; Cox Newspapers; The E.W. Scripps Company; Hearst Newspapers; Journal Register Company; Lee Enterprises; and MediaNews Group, Inc.

The newspapers in this consortium include major market dailies such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), The Dallas Morning News, The Denver Post, The Florida Times-Union, Houston Chronicle, The Miami Herald, New Haven Register, Rocky Mountain News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury-News and The Tampa Tribune.

With a total of 264 newspapers across 44 states, Yahoo! is all ready to give Google fair competition.

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