AT&T wants to get its hands on Time Warner and they want to do it by this Monday. The company wants to seal the deal to shut out any other interested parties as quickly as possible to prevent a possible bidding war. AT&T already acquired DirecTV and buying Time Warner would add programs such as HBO, Cartoon Network, and the NBA to its stable. AT&T is trying to get negotiations done quickly cause they do fear that Apple or Alphabet (Google) could decide to join the fray for the media company.
“Once AT&T turned the corner into media with the DirecTV deal, they realized they have to move fast and seize the opportunities,” said Roger Entner, an analyst with Recon Analytics LLC. “The market is changing rapidly, and AT&T wants to be the leader.”
“AT&T does deals. That’s been their legacy for the past 25 years,” said Jonathan Chaplin, an analyst with New Street Research. “The bigger the deal, the more it moves the needle and there aren’t many companies that fit AT&T’s criteria as well as Time Warner.”
While AT&T does own DirecTV, which supplies satellite service to millions, Time Warner would be a different beast to operate. Not only would AT&T be buying a service company but they’ll be getting a media company that produces content. Warner Bros. film and TV would fall into AT&T hands and that’s a realm the company has yet to operate in. It will be interesting to see how AT&T handles operating a major film studio. For now the deal isn’t done just yet and despite AT&T pushing for a Monday close to the deal, that’s not a guarantee and other interested parties could walk-in at any time.
What do you think of AT&T’s bid for Time Warner? Think it’s a good idea? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
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