AT&T won approval Tuesday of its $85 billion bid for Time Warner, a decision that could pave the way for more mega-deals in the media industry.
A U.S. judge ruled the Justice Department did not sufficiently show that a tie-up would stifle competition or harm consumers. He also tried to dissuade the government from appealing his decision.
The merger of the two companies, announced in October 2016, was closely watched by other media and telecom companies with ambitions to cross over.
Internet providers and cable distributors are looking for new revenue sources to compete with streaming content companies such as Netflix and Amazon.
But the government has been skeptical of the consolidation of content and delivery. The Justice Department sued to block AT&T's deal last November, citing concerns over the telecom company owning both DirecTV and Time Warner.
Tuesday's ruling in favor of AT&T could preclude similar arguments to block mergers down the road.
The cable TV giant Comcast said earlier this week it would submit an all-cash bid as early as Wednesday to buy assets from 21st Century Fox if the AT&T acquisition was approved.
Comcast's bid for Fox could upend Disney's offer, and send that company looking for another target.
Shares of Comcast, Disney, and AT&T were all down after the judge's ruling. Fox and Time Warner stock were rising.
An AT&T spokesman said the company is "gratified" by the decision. The deal is expected to close by June 20.
The big three car companies for GM and Stellantis have agreed to pay striking workers as they spend time on the picket line, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Elon Musk is making a big prediction about artificial intelligence and the jobs market.
Open enrollment season is here and the stress of picking the right plan for you could sometimes get overwhelming. Rosalyn Glenn, financial advisor with Prudential, joined Cheddar News to discuss what to know and understand about selecting your benefits to cover your medical needs and conditions, if any.
Learning about money is a skill that should be learned at an early age. OneMain Financial is now offering a financial course called 'Credit Worthy' across several high schools across the country, along with some scholarships. Doug Shulman, CEO of OneMain Financial, joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of learning and understanding credit. "Over half of high school students graduate without knowing the basics about credit," Schulman said. "It really helps establish a great foundation to being an independent adult, to have a healthy and happy life, and some financial security is part of that."
Mariah Carey is facing a second lawsuit claiming copyright infringement over her song, "All I Want For Christmas is You."
Apple posted better-than-expected results for the third quarter but continued to report soft revenue. Cheddar News breaks it all down.
Thousands of hospitality workers across 18 casinos in Las Vegas have announced they are set to strike if a new contract agreement is not reached by Friday, November 10.
Mariah Carey, the 'Queen of Christmas,' is teaming up with Victoria's Secret for a new holiday collection.
Stocks jumped Friday after a jobs report showed a higher slowdown in hiring, giving hope to an end in rate hikes.
A new study found greater productivity in companies with a higher gender balance.
