Officials from Time Warner Inc. and Home Box Office, Inc. are asking the FCC to take its time reviewing the proposed Charter Cable acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
Announced in May, the parties value the cash and stock deal at $78.7 billion.
Opponents have said the merger would result in an entity that controls some 90% of the nation’s high-speed residential broadband.
Time Warner and HBO officials met with the staff of the FCC’s Office of General Counsel Jonathan Sallet last week; they had met with FCC officials in January to explain why they believe statements from Charter executives suggest the post-merger entity could hurt online video competition. Last week’s meeting was to offer “additional information,” according to an ex parte filing.
TW and HBO believe “if the merger is approved, a combined Charter-Time Warner Cable-Bright House will attempt to harm the continued development of over-the-top video broadband competition,” according to a summary of the meeting from Time Warner VP Public Policy Kyle Dixson. The companies urged the FCC to
“take as much time as is necessary to investigate further these concerns and others raised by the proposed merger, and to ensure that Charter would not or could not harm over-the-top broadband competition.”
We noted recently Dish Network and NAB have expressed similar concerns, saying the deal isn’t in the public interest.
