Mobile advertising firm Third Screen Media, which has been switching gears between funding and selling, is talking sale again and this time the potential buyer for the mobile ad startup is AOL. The usual no comment on rumors and speculation from AOL PR but we can confirm that AOL is in conversations with the mobile advertising start-up as an acquisition for its Advertising.com. It would make sense for both but I’ve been cautioned to remember that a lot of conversations go nowhere. One set of numbers being floated is $60-80 million but that could be meaningless. Third Screen has raised at least $8 million from TD Capital Ventures and Blue Chip Venture Company. breuters and Universal McCann are among its clients.
—As I was getting ready to post this (we’ve been working on it for several days), the WSJ published a similar report. The Journal reported last May that Third Screen was in talks with Microsoft. This time, Third Screen CEO Thomas Burgess told the Journal he didn’t discuss rumors. The Journal hears the discussions are in the $80 million range.
Related:
—Third Screen Looking To Raise Funds; No Sale To MSFT
—Third Screen Media Secures $5 Million in Series B Funding