A surprisingly salient policy matter in the 2016 election was the proposed $85 billion merger announced that October between AT&T and Time Warner, the media conglomerate that housed CNN, HBO, TNT, TBS, and numerous other channels. Donald Trump, who didn’t put out all that many policy-focused statements in his political career, highlighted the deal in a campaign appearance, saying that his administration wouldn’t approve it because it would put “too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.” He even tried to follow through on that campaign promise: His Justice Department attempted to block the merger, losing in federal court in 2018.
AT&T argued that the deal was essential to its viability as a business, amid strong competition from other platforms that combined internet and cable distribution with compelling programming. Only by combining content with delivery could the company compete for scarce ad dollars and continue to build out its wireless and broadband networks. Consumers would benefit from the expanded ways to access the content. This would bolster a company with a long, storied history and enable it to thrive in the 21st century.
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