Does Disney or Comcast Have a Better Shot at Regulatory Approval for Fox Deal?

While offering billions in a bidding war for most of 21st Century Fox’s TV and film assets, both Disney and Comcast are also on the front lines of a battle of words, each trying to position its bid as the one most likely to gain regulatory approval from the government. To be sure, both deals would likely be scrutinized by the Justice Department for different reasons. “I’m not prepared to say which is better positioned,” said Georgetown Economics and Law professor Steve Salop . “But I don’t think the fact that the [Department of Justice] lost its suit with AT&T-Time Warner means Comcast is clear of regulatory concerns in a vertical merger. Plus, there’s some horizontal overlap, and there’s some overlap in Disney’s deal as well.”