[Forbodium]

Regarding this headline -
"Four consumer groups today told the Federal Communications Commission that America Online's buyout of Time Warner should be prevented unless core assets are sold. The groups contend that merging the number one internet service provider with the number one entertainment company would "excessively concentrate" the cable television and Internet markets."
Did I miss something in this headline, or has this merger been a done deal since mid March? Everyone and his grandma have been pondering the implications during the aftermath of this for more than a month now.

[wlonh]

well i am not sure the FCC/SEC/FTC or whichever gov't oversight agency has approved this merger yet... i really do not know for sure

but any such concentration of power and wealth is cause for concern to say the least

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 04-25-2000).]

[Forbodium]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wlonh:
[B]well i am not sure the FCC/SEC/FTC or whichever gov't oversight agency has approved this merger yet... i really do not know for sure

I doubt the merger needed anyone's approval, but if so, they certainly got it - more than 1.5 months ago. It was all over the news. Not having heard of the AOL Time/Warner merger seems to me to be equivelent to never hearing of Judge Jackson's verdict in the Microsoft antitrust trial. Reading about this on macnn.com just now is like reading the news about Apple's re-introduction of the 500mhz G4 in last month's (May) issue of Macworld.

[Misha]

The AOL/Time Warner merger has not been approved by the FCC/FTC yet. Approval usually takes several months after the agreement between the two companies, which is what made all the news a couple of months ago.

[wlonh]

hey! well well, and thanks Misha

i thought so...