Marked as politics because the DOJ is involved, but it's more about business.

AT&T has been in the process of merging with Time Warner for the past year. Being a content distributor, they wanted content ownership as well, to implement addressable advertising on a large scale. This is a big reason why Comcast bought NBC Universal. It's why Verizon bought AOL, Yahoo, and other small content creators.

This is a vertical integration. It can provide enough synergies to be a net benefit to the consumer, but the DOJ is worried about potential antitrust. They're worried AT&T could hike up the prices to other content distributors. That's true, but if they're so worried about antitrust actions, then require behavior modifications! Don't require these huge divestures. The DOJ wants them to sell either Turner Broadcasting or DirecTV, either one defeating the entire purpose of the merger. I just want the DOJ to answer one thing: If this merger can't happen, why have we allowed similar mergers in the past?

Some are saying President Trump had a hand in this, because CNN is part of Turner Broadcasting. I don't know about that. If it's true, that's clear abuse of power by him, but honestly I doubt he had anything to do with it. I'm just mad at the DOJ. I understand breaking up companies when it directly hurts the consumer. I disagree with it, but I get it. This is basically breaking it up simply because it's too big, not because it hurts competition or consumers. It's ridiculous.

theBdub is a true friend of the crown. Dilly Dilly.

That is my official, on the record position here, but unofficially:

According to MSNBC (when I was looking in, earlier today) AT&T has said that it will contest this DOJ-required divestiture in court. According to CNN, AT&T really really does not want to give up its ownership of either Turner Broadcasting or DIrecT, in order to pursue this merger. AT&T considers CNN (part of Turner Broadcasting) one of its "crown jewels." That according to MSNBC (when I was looking in earlier today.) Imagine that.

I am thinking "Who is the judge that sees this case first?" and "Has that particular court of appeals (or whatever the proper nomenclature) produced any notable and recent decisions in this area of mergers and business acquisitions?"

Because I have a mind like a steel trap.

And this, which is purely "by the way"... What do you call Donald Trump in a Russian hotel room after a meeting about the Miss Universe Pageant?


Five Easy Pieces

OMG! OMG! The coroner is gonna say I committed suicide by laughing.
Click to show

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 11-10-2017).]

AT&T Won’t Sell CNN to Close Time Warner Deal

• Claire Atkinson for NBC News; November 10, 2017.

AT&T will not sell CNN and it doesn't intend to sell key assets, either, to satisfy the Justice Department's demand for closing its $85 billion merger with Time Warner, AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson said Thursday.

The Justice Department and AT&T are in the midst of a war of words over whether the Trump administration will approve the deal after a year of reviewing it. Stephenson said Thursday that if there is no progress on negotiations, the likely result will be the phone giant heading to court to protect its planned acquisition and prevent any divestiture.

CONTINUED ONLINE
https://www.nbcnews.com/new...-warner-deal-n819501

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 11-10-2017).]

quote Originally posted by rinselberg: AT&T Won’t Sell CNN to Close Time Warner Deal

Of course they won't! The deal won't make sense with any divestures.

Yes, I have something in this merger, so I am a little too close to the topic... but I still think it should be approved with behavioral conditions.