AT&T wins court approval to buy Time Warner over Trump opposition

AT&T Inc won court approval on Tuesday to buy Time Warner Inc for $85 billion, rebuffing an attempt by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to block the deal and likely setting off a wave of corporate mergers. The deal, which could close next week, is seen as a turning point for a media industry that has been upended by companies like Netflix Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google which produce content and sell it online directly to consumers, without requiring a pricey cable subscription.

Judge Sets March 19 as Start Date for AT&T-Time Warner Antitrust Trial

Richard Leon said he will aim to reach a decision in the case by late April or May, beyond companies' April 22 merger-agreement expiration date WASHINGTON-The judge presiding over the Justice Department's antitrust challenge to AT&T Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Inc. has set March 19 as the trial's start date, warning the companies he cannot reach a decision by the time their merger agreement expires on April 22. "It's just not realistic to be done on the 22nd," U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said Thursday during a first preliminary court hearing.

Fox’s Lachlan Murdoch says company would never buy CNN

Twenty-First Century Fox "would never be interested" in buying CNN, Fox Executive Chair Lachlan Murdoch said on Wednesday at the Business Insider IGNITION Conference in New York. FILE PHOTO: Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, 21st Century Fox CEO, arrives at the annual Allen and Co.

Funeral held for Border Patrol agent whose death in Texas remains a mystery

Family, friends and law enforcement officers converged Saturday on west Texas to mourn a Border Patrol agent whose death last weekend in a rugged, remote area has not been explained. Bagpipes played as pallbearers carried the U.S.-flag-draped coffin of Rogelio Martinez into a Catholic church in El Paso for a private funeral.

Justice Department sues to halt AT&T-Time Warner deal

The Justice Department is suing AT&T to stop its $85 billion purchase of Time Warner, setting the stage for an epic legal battle with the telecom giant. The government claims that consumer cable bills will rise if the merger goes through, saying the deal would "substantially lessen competition, resulting in higher prices and less innovation for millions of Americans."

The Media Industry Has Had One Very Crazy Week

AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson got some bad news on Monday, Nov. 6, about his pending acquisition of Time Warner Inc. at just about the same time CNBC reported that Walt Disney Co. executives had been talking to counterparts at Twenty-First Century Inc. about a huge, industry-altering deal to buy most of its TV and movie businesses.

Cambridge Analytica Denies Working With Russia, Unconvincingly

'He said he didn't meddle': Trump talks with Putin about U.S. elections, Syria in brief interactions - HANOI - President Trump said Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin again denied his nation tampered in the U.S. presidential election last year when the two men spoke during brief conversations Snag in Media Merger Stirs Tensions Over Trump-CNN Feud - Uncertainty around AT&T deal arises after long stretch of hostility between network, administration - Early this year, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and aide, Jared Kushner, met a top executive at CNN parent Time Warner Inc. TWX 4.08% Data Firm's WikiLeaks Outreach Came as It Joined Trump Campaign - Cambridge Analytica said it reached out to Julian Assange to share Hillary Clinton-related emails in 'early June 2016,' when the company had already started working for the campaign - The chief executive Trump adviser claims he ... (more)

Pence decries comparisons to Clintona s email use

Vice President Mike Pence scoffed at comparisons Friday of his use of a private AOL account while he was Indiana's governor - including emails about state business - and Hillary Clinton's embattled use of a private server as secretary of state that inspired cries of “lock her up” among Republicans. President Donald Trump, on the road touring a Florida Catholic school to stump for greater choice options in education, did not address the issue, but a White House spokesperson said Pence had the administration's support.

AT&T and Time Warner Tell Senators They Won’t Hurt Competition

AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Inc. promised lawmakers who criticized their planned merger that the combined company wouldn't withhold programming from rivals to gain a market advantage. "Restricting distribution of Time Warner content would not only sacrifice revenues, but also damage Time Warner's reputation and relationships in the entertainment industry," the companies told the lawmakers, according to a summary released by AT&T and Time Warner.

CMO Today: AT&T Chief Meets With Donald Trump, But Doesn’t Discuss Merger

DEAL MAKER : As Donald Trump prepares to take office, one of the big questions hanging over the media industry is whether AT&T's proposed purchase of Time Warner Inc. will receive approval. As The Wall Street Journal reports, AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson headed to Trump Tower on Thursday morning to meet with the president-elect , who vowed before the election to block the $85 billion deal.

Trump Tells Confidant He Still Opposes AT&T-Time Warner 2 hours ago

Time Warner Inc. because he believes it would concentrate too much power in the media industry, according to people close to the president-elect, who has been publicly silent about the transaction for months. Trump told a friend in the last few weeks that he still considers the merger to be a bad deal, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the conversation was private.