If The Don told the DOJ

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   ptosisposted 6 years ago

   If The Don told the DOJ
   
   If The Don told the DOJ to block AT&T from buying CNN after failing to use the merger to change CCN coverage of himself, then is that a a clear-cut abuse of Presidential Power?
   
   AT&T CEO Stephenson was adamant that he won't agree to sell CNN to placate Trump.
   
   

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2. 45

   Ericdierkerposted 6 years ago

   This is interesting enough to dig into it a bit deeper. But I just could not get over my bias. I hate anything close to monopolies. I hate a Telecom becoming "to big to fail".
   Mergers, acquisition and arbitrage get me all edgy.
   So then I looked to motivations of all three parties. AT&T is just into for stock reasons and more control over the extended industry/market. CNN is failing and needs a corporate bail out.
   DOJ most often blocks mergers until assurances are hammered out especially one of this size.and a buyout is the most suspicious characters of all. I would look more carefully at the SEC. Those guys could definitely block this with good reason.
   To my understanding AT&T is not using cash reserves to make this deal but are leveraging assets which could very seriously harm investors.
   Hate him or love him the Chief executive of the USA can block mergers for whatever he feels is best for the country.
   For me, I think CNN should stay independent because a buyout may effect CNN's liberal bent more toward the middle in order to increase it's viability. I think they need to stay the course.

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   1. 66

      ptosisposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      good answer, but I think this is a vertical merger.

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   2. 45

      Ericdierkerposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe. So AT&T is at the communications provider lever and CNN a content provide levels? And they do not now compete with each other?
      Perhaps the perfect kind of case for judicial determination.

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3. 51

   bradmasterOCcalposted 6 years ago

   The last thing we need is a bigger ATT. CNN should die its lonely spiraling death. It should take down the other so called NEWs services. There is nothing newsworthy on any of them today.

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