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NBCUniversal is in talks to buy Microsoft's 50 percent stake in its joint venture MSNBC.com, Adweek reported.

Financial details weren't immediately clear, but a deal would end the remaining core part of a partnership struck in the mid-1990s before the first Internet boom.

In 2005, NBCUniversal agreed to buy out Microsoft's stake in cable network MSNBC.

MSNBC.com is the Web destination for both NBC News and MSNBC, but has separate staff. If NBCUniversal reaches a buyout deal, it could launch a separate NBC News site and bring MSNBC.com's content more in line with the network's more liberal primetime lineup.

Adweek suggested that MSNBC personalities Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews could get stronger Web exposure if a deal is reached.

A transaction would likely include an agreement that would allow the site to retain some of the traffic it gets from being placed on Microsoft's MSN portal. In April, MSNBC.com had 55.7 million unique visitors, according to comScore data cited by Adweek.

Spokespeople for NBCUniversal, the entertainment arm of cable giant Comcast Corp., and Microsoft didn't comment on the status of talks about MSNBC.com.

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com
Twitter: @georgszalai