Microsoft reaching out to FT and other publishers in bid to beat Google

So Microsoft has approached the FT then. The interesting part is which other companies Microsoft has approached. Even if it knows the FT isn't saying.

The move comes off the back of Rupert Murdoch's plans for Google to deindex all News International's online content. The agreement with Microsoft could mean that for the first time a search engine company has paid to index news stories.

For Microsoft it could give the company a much needed unique feature for its Bing search engine in that it could become a hub for news. The key for the company though is whether other publishers will follow News International.