Reuter’s reports that AOL is “in talks” to buy mobile advertising firm Third Screen Media. If acquired, Third Screen would join Advertising.com, AOL’s online ad network.

Third Screen has been in the spotlight since Microsoft expressed interest in them last year. Since then, Third Screen has signed a number of highly lucrative clients, including Johnson & Johnson, Intel and MSNBC. The Boston startup, evidently worth $80 Million to AOL, landed in the right market at just the right time – MediaPost writes,

“Third Screen recently told OnlineMediaDaily that average mobile campaign budgets increased to $150,000 from $25,000. Today’s Journal pegs the average ad campaign at $200,000.

“What’s more, mobile ad spending is expected to grow tenfold in the next four years. EMarketer recently predicted that U.S. companies will spend $4.8 billion advertising on mobile devices in 2011 — marking 12% of that year’s total ad spending –up from $421 million, or 2.6% of overall U.S. ad dollars, last year.”

Worth the Read:

• AOL’s Pursuit of Mobile Ads (Blogging Stocks)
• Third Screen Media Looks for a Buyer; In Talks with AOL (PaidContent.org)
• AOL In Talks to Acquire Mobile Ad Start-up (CNET)

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