In the Aftermath of the AT&T/Time Warner Decision, There’s Still Hope

While the result of AT&T/Time Warner is disappointing, there’s light at the end of the dark tunnel that was the week of June 11. First, the Department of Justice may yet appeal and win the AT&T case, and we hope it does. Even without that, one bad result will not deter the professionals in the DOJ Antitrust Division. Further, the increased attention to competition and concentration issues by policymakers, both left and right means that new polices to strengthen antitrust or otherwise address market power may be on the horizon. Finally, the Federal Communications Commission has its own regulatory tools to protect competition in the video marketplace. Oversight of the video marketplace is needed now more than ever to protect consumers in an increasingly uncompetitive environment.