Plenty of news around lately about Microsoft's $42 BILLION takeover of Yahoo which is currently on the cards...

I'm no business expert, so I can't tell you how that happens, or when and even IF it will happen, but it did get me thinking..

How would this affect the Australian Internet landscape?

You see, if this all happens, it is highly likely MSN will become part of Yahoo -with Yahoo being the main brand..

In Australia, MSN and Yahoo also exist, but here's where it gets complicated.

MSN has a strong joint venture partnership with CHANNEL 9.

Yahoo has a strong joint venture partnership with CHANNEL 7.

Without MSN, Nine have no traffic - basically they live off the default browser traffic from Internet Explorer.

Without Yahoo, Seven are back to having a TV station website.

So who will let go of who?

You'd have to Think the Seven Network would struggle to hold onto their Australian Ownership of the Yahoo Brand, if Microsoft own it globally.

Perhaps this is a moot point and the Australian brands are truely separate entities - I'd be interested to know...