What you need to know about the AT&T–Time Warner merger trial

What you need to know about the AT&T–Time Warner merger trial

6 years ago
Anonymous $gIi3-PxxKB

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/22/17152518/att-time-warner-merger-trial-justice-department

One of the most high-stakes antitrust battles in recent memory is about to unfold in court, as AT&T argues its case for buying Time Warner, despite objections from the Justice Department. If approved, the purchase will create an outsized media behemoth that combines AT&T’s 25 million paid TV subscribers with media giants like HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros. movie studios. This, the Justice Department argues, is a company so large that it could stifle competition. Meanwhile, AT&T insists that the merger is critical if it has any hope of competing in a marketplace increasingly driven by streaming media. Both sides are making their opening statements in a DC court today. Here’s what to watch for during the trial.