As the U.S. government gets set to fight AT&T’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner in a D.C. federal court, the Department of Justice on Friday submitted a trial brief that sharpens its theories on why the $85 billion merger deserves to be blocked. Justice Department officials say the outcome of the case “will chart the course for the future of video-content delivery in the United States” and are also ridiculing the other side’s response. (THR / THR, Esq.)
The Justice Department is seeking to block the transaction, arguing that the combined companies would force rivals to pay more for “must-have” content from the Turner Networks, including TBS, CNN and TNT, and that the result would be higher prices for consumers. (Variety)
The filings came a day after some former DOJ officials in their own court filing expressed concern over President Trump’s influence over the agency’s move to sue, as retaliation for negative coverage by Time Warner-owned cable news network CNN. (Deadline)