ValueClick has recently announced plans to acquire a competing advertising network, FastClick.

ValueClick currently owns three properties: PriceRunner, an online price comparison service, Commission Junction (CJ), an affiliate network, and Mediaplex, an ad serving technology. FastClick would become a fourth subsidiary of the publically traded company.

According to Aaron, DaniWeb's resident ValueClick publisher representative, good friend of mine, and daddy to adorable Savannah, the acquisition will be finalized in about two months from now.

From a publisher perspective, I can only guess how this will affect fill rates and CPMs. Currently, FastClick is known for accepting many of the smaller publishers, and let's be blunt - offers some pretty crappy ad campaigns. (You know the type) While ValueClick has recently stepped it up a notch with a much higher quality of advertisers, their CPM rates still leave a lot to be desired - especially when compared against ultra selective Tribal Fusion.