AT&T Exec Called Broadcasters 'Shortsighted Whores' As the DOJ attempts to show that AT&T's looming acquisition of Time Warner will only be "weaponized" to harm competitors, DOJ lawyers are pulling out all the stops. According to the Los Angeles Times, the DOJ dug up e-mails by Daniel York, chief content officer of the AT&T Entertainment Group, in which he claims that "content providers generally are shortsighted whores" for licensing their content to streaming alternatives like SlingTV, a competitor to AT&T's DirecTV Now.

quote: Justice Department lawyers are trying to show to U.S. District Judge Richard Leon that AT&T wants to "weaponize" Time Warner's must-have content and hold off a growing challenge from Sling TV, Google Inc.'s YouTube TV and other online competitors. AT&T's lawyers have argued that if it acquired Time Warner, it would want to sell the programming to as many services as possible. According to quote: One strategy document, introduced during the testimony of AT&T Vice President of Strategy and Business Development Timothy Gibson, said Comcast and NBC would have the option to "raise prices or withhold content" or withhold "specific rights" related to the content. The document also said that, without the arbitration agreement, Comcast and NBC could "play hardball" and "threaten blackouts," and could "choose not to license online to some players and discriminate on price." Of course if history is any indication, that's precisely what AT&T will likely do. Consumer advocates have argued that not only will AT&T use licensing to restrict would-be competitors, it will likely use the looming death of net neutrality to "creatively" engage in anti-competitive behavior as well. Anybody that has watched AT&T get busted for The DOJ's goal, the Times notes, has been to prove that AT&T intends to use its greater size and leverage post merger to make it harder for competitors to license content they'll need to compete with AT&T:According to another report by CNN , the DOJ is highlighting how e-mails show AT&T worried about the expiration of conditions affixed to Comcast's 2011 acquisition of NBC Universal, and how that would likely make it more expensive for AT&T to license content from Comcast:Of course if history is any indication, that's precisely what AT&T will likely do. Consumer advocates have argued that not only will AT&T use licensing to restrict would-be competitors, it will likely use the looming death of net neutrality to "creatively" engage in anti-competitive behavior as well. Anybody that has watched AT&T get busted for making its bills harder to understand to aid scammers , or ripping off programs for the hearing impaired -- likely doesn't doubt AT&T's anti-competitive intent in the wake of its looming megadeal. And while some have tried to argue the potential damage can be mitigated by merger conditions, that tends to ignore the fact that traditionally such conditions don't mean much, frequently aren't adhered to , and government enforcement of said conditions (by either party) tends to be tepid at best.







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Most recommended from 41 comments

Kearnstd

Space Elf

Premium Member

join:2002-01-22

Mullica Hill, NJ 20 recommendations Kearnstd Premium Member ATT should be careful how hardball they play with content If they win the court case and can merger, They should remember that if they get too greedy and locked out too many legal venues for procurement of content they now own. People will just flip em the bird and raise the Jolly Rodger. It may not be legal or ethical to pirate but when has the net cared about that. The Antihero

join:2002-04-09

Enola, PA 12 recommendations The Antihero Member Screw AT&T I used to have them as my long distance provider until they switched me over to a more expensive calling plan without notifying me. The new plan would have made sense for someone who makes a lot of long distance calls, but for someone like me who very rarely makes any, it cost more money.



When I tried to complain, they basically said "Too bad, you still have to pay this." So my response was, "Fine, I'll pay it this time. But to make sure this doesn't happen again, I'm switching to another provider." Which I did.



A few months later, I got one of their "We want you back" letters, along with a check for roughly the amount of the last bill they sent me. I threw it all straight in the trash. They had their chance to make it right, and they chose not to take it. I hope they go down in flames.

ARGONAUT

Have a nice day.

Premium Member

join:2006-01-24

New Albany, IN 12 recommendations ARGONAUT Premium Member "weaponized" Whore on Whore on Whore action!

Anon4f2c5

@charter.com 8 recommendations Anon4f2c5 Anon What about Comcast? According to another report by CNN, the DOJ is highlighting how e-mails show AT&T worried about the expiration of conditions affixed to Comcast's 2011 acquisition of NBC Universal, and how that would likely make it more expensive for AT&T to license content from Comcast:



"One strategy document, introduced during the testimony of AT&T Vice President of Strategy and Business Development Timothy Gibson, said Comcast and NBC would have the option to "raise prices or withhold content" or withhold "specific rights" related to the content."



and they will and apparently that totally cool with people. because I hear ZERO talk about preventing Comcast from doing that.

Anon6cc12

@rr.com 5 recommendations Anon6cc12 Anon Emails It's amazing how many times I've seen stories where emails end up exposing people. Makes me wonder why people should bother using emails anymore.

maartena

Elmo

Premium Member

join:2002-05-10

Orange, CA 4 recommendations maartena Premium Member Trump promised.... Trump promised in his campaign to block this merger/deal. Wondering if he is going to keep his promise, or put it with the ever growing stack of broken ones. Frodo

join:2006-05-05 2 recommendations Frodo Member Administrations problem is with CNN





And does anybody think that the administration's problem with Amazon has any issue other than that Jeff Bezos' owns the Washington Post?



If so, I have a bridge for sale. The swamp has a new gate-keeper. I copied this off the web, or some web broadcast. I'm not the only one who thinks the opposition from the justice department has more to do with CNN and less to do with merger issues. Compare to Sinclair Broadcast Group who has a horizontal merger proposal versus the AT&T vertical one.