USA: US Federal Judge authorises the acquisition of Time Warner for €72.8bn by AT&T (telecoms)

A US Federal Judge has authorised the acquisition of Time Warner, a US media conglomerate, by the US telecommunications operator AT&T on 12/06/2018. The transaction, concluded for an amount of $85.4bn (€72.8bn), was announced on 22/10/2016.

The US Department of Justice challenged the deal, stating that it "would directly hit the pocketbooks of American consumers and ultimately result in higher prices and lower quality service for consumers," during the opening of the trial in Autumn 2017.

Through this acquisition, AT&T will take control of Warner Bros., the audiovisual group Turner and HBO, subsidiaries of Time Warner. Time Warner also includes pay and free-TV sports channels (such as TBS) which broadcast the MLB and the NBA in the United States. Turner Sports, a subsidiary of Time Warner Group, also acquired, for the United States, the exclusive English-language media rights for the European Cups for the 2018-2021 cycle on 17/08/2017.

Bleacher Report Live, Turner's new OTT sports platform, will broadcast the European Cups in the United States (2018-2021 cycle)

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