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.
Janice Lieberman of Consumer Reports discusses how to maintain your car to save money down the road.
Airlines will continue to operate fewer flights to New York and Washington to cut down on cancellations and delays.
A new report found that business travel is becoming more expensive.
X Corp. CEO Linda Yaccarino told CNBC that she has "autonomy" under Elon Musk, adding that she wants advertisers to be comfortable to return.
Verizon Wireless said it plans to raise the prices of some of its plans.
Food service workers in Las Vegas are set to take to the Strip Thursday as they demand higher pay and better benefits.
GM President Mark Reuss joined Cheddar News to discuss the company's new Cadillac Escalade electric vehicle and talked about how to make affordable EVs for the general public. "That's who we are as a company -- we will offer vehicles for everybody and every different income level," he said.
Lauren Fix, automotive expert with 'The Car Coach,' spoke with Cheddar News to provide tips and advantages on buying a used vehicle. "You let somebody else take the depreciation, which is probably one of the best things ... you then move in at a two- or three-year-old vehicle that maybe was leased, and you can get some great values," she said.
Disney said it's increasing prices for its ad-free streaming services as the company is losing subscribers and also announced it planned to crack down on password-sharing. Cheddar News' Michelle Castillo broke down Disney's moves.
Lawrence Sprung, a certified financial planner and author of 'Financial Planning Made Personal' shares advice about how to teach kids to use credit wisely.
