The ruling is a blow for the Trump administration’s antitrust enforcers, but they could still try to block other deals.
The news: A
US court ruled that AT&T’s deal for media giant Time Warner could
go ahead over the objections of the Department of Justice, which worried
that the combination would raise prices. The purchase will be completed by June 20.
Deal bonanza: Other telecom companies like Comcast, which has been stalking 21st Century Fox’s TV operations, could now bid for more content businesses to compete with digital platforms like Amazon and Netflix.
Why this matters: Although the ruling is a setback for the DoJ, its nearly two-year legal battle to try and block the Time Warner deal shows it’s determined to challenge massive mergers. Big internet companies could be next in the agency’s sights: its antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, has made it clear that trustbusters must take vigorous action if digital platforms threaten competition.
Deal bonanza: Other telecom companies like Comcast, which has been stalking 21st Century Fox’s TV operations, could now bid for more content businesses to compete with digital platforms like Amazon and Netflix.
Why this matters: Although the ruling is a setback for the DoJ, its nearly two-year legal battle to try and block the Time Warner deal shows it’s determined to challenge massive mergers. Big internet companies could be next in the agency’s sights: its antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, has made it clear that trustbusters must take vigorous action if digital platforms threaten competition.
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