Yahoo buys online video chat startup OnTheAir

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Yahoo said on Tuesday it had acquired a small startup specialising in broadcasting video chats or interviews to online audiences.

Financial terms of the deal to buy OnTheAir were not disclosed but Yahoo said the five members of the young company would join the Internet veteran's mobile technology team.

"Hiring the most talented mobile product thinkers and engineers is a big priority for us moving forward," Yahoo senior vice president of emerging products and technology Adam Cahan said in an email response to an AFP inquiry. "We can't wait to work with (the OnTheAir team) to create the best possible mobile experience for our users."

San Francisco-based OnTheAir launched in March with an application that lets people host online talk shows with the twist that hosts can bring audience members "onstage" in the form of split-screen chats broadcast for all to see.