Separately, both AT&T and Time Warner have been responding to the consumer’s desire to watch more movies and TV shows online. AT&T bought DirecTV last year for $48 billion, creating the biggest US pay-TV service, while Charter Communications Inc. did a $56 billion deal to swallow up Time Warner Cable Inc.— a former unit of Time Warner. Unparalleled scaleWith Time Warner, AT&T would combine distribution and production on a scale unparalleled in traditional media, potentially creating new options. NBC was required to make all of its channels available to all new online TV entrants, weakening its negotiating leverage. Hulu will soon unveil an online TV offering that competes with Comcast’s conventional cable service.

Source: Mint October 22, 2016 15:11 UTC