{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-judiciary-subcommittee-hearing-examining-proposed-att-time", "Grassley Statement at a Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing Examining the Proposed AT&T-Time Warner Merger", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Charles Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeAntitrust Subcommittee Hearing:\u00a0\u201cExamining the Competitive Impact of the AT&T-Time Warner Transaction\u201dDecember 7, 2016Thank you Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing on the biggest transaction of the year, the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger. \u00a0This deal would combine one of the nation\u2019s largest phone and internet providers with a media entertainment titan that among other things, owns HBO, CNN, TBS, TNT and Warner Brothers studios. \u00a0By expanding into media and entertainment, AT&T strengthens its existing wireless, internet and pay-TV business and also becomes a premier content owner.\u00a0The Justice Department, and possibly the Federal Communications Commission, will determine whether to approve or reject this merger, and decide whether or what conditions should be imposed in order for the parties to proceed with their transaction. \u00a0Nonetheless, our oversight responsibility is an important one, where the Committee can flesh out potential issues and highlight possible impacts of the merger on the market and consumers.It\u2019s an understatement to say that this industry is undergoing tremendous change. \u00a0People are constantly reevaluating what, when, where and how they access their media entertainment and content. \u00a0Technologies are quickly evolving, and delivery platforms are converging. \u00a0Companies are improving their technologies so that customers can enjoy better and faster connectivity. \u00a0Innovation is creating more options and allowing for multiple combinations. \u00a0The creativity of programming content and device apps is flourishing to satisfy any and every consumer taste, young and old. \u00a0Customers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about content offerings and their data consumption needs. \u00a0No doubt, this industry is going through a transformative and disruptive time, and consumers are enjoying the ride. \u00a0So we want to make sure that this revolution in technologies and content continues to thrive and evolve to the benefit of all consumers, all over the country, including in rural communities in Iowa. \u00a0More content choices and accessibility options, better quality and affordable prices make for a happy consumer. \u00a0AT&T and Time Warner say that this vertical merger will \u201cbenefit consumers, strengthen competition, and encourage innovation and investment.\u201d \u00a0They claim that by consolidating the assets of the two companies, it will be able to better compete nationwide and meet the expectations of consumers.However, critics of the merger say that this deal will have a negative impact on competition and innovation. \u00a0There\u2019s concern that a combined AT&T-Time Warner will block competitor access to popular Time Warner content. \u00a0There\u2019s concern that a combined company will give preferential treatment \u2013 for example, favorable channel placement and zero-rating pricing \u2013 to Time Warner\u2019s premium entertainment programming to the disadvantage of other content producers, in particular small independent producers. \u00a0There\u2019s concern about AT&T-Time Warner\u2019s ability to leverage their assets to negotiate better licensing arrangements or raise the price of their content to the detriment of other distributors. \u00a0There\u2019s concern about the merged company\u2019s ability to employ \u201cbullying\u201d tactics to dictate rates and terms to other networks. \u00a0There\u2019s concern that this acquisition will concentrate too much power into one conglomerate, resulting in higher prices and fewer programming options for consumers. \u00a0There\u2019s also concern about the merger\u2019s implications for a free and diverse press.These are all serious concerns which should be scrutinized carefully by the antitrust regulators tasked with reviewing this transaction.At the same time, some warn that we should be careful about how the AT&T-Time Warner deal should be examined because of the dynamic nature of the industry, complexity of the marketplace, and fast paced innovation and changing consumer wants and needs. \u00a0They question whether current merger analysis methods are \u201cwell suited to tackle\u201d this transaction, and urge caution when determining the competitive effects of mergers between different complex, interconnected platforms. \u00a0They suggest that we may need to re-define market power and re-assess how to analyze it in a fast shifting industry with \u201cmultisided\u201d platforms. \u00a0With tech giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and others changing the way consumers access content, it\u2019s legitimate to ask whether \u201cwhat looks straightforwardly anti-competitive in the old industrial-merger models might not be so simple in the merger of modern media platforms.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0Certainly, the AT&T-Time Warner deal warrants close and careful scrutiny because it raises all these complex issues and concerns. \u00a0We want to ensure that the proposed merger doesn\u2019t allow for an unfair advantage over competitors or facilitate anti-competitive practices with anti-competitive effects. \u00a0Yet we also need a thoughtful, forward-looking analysis of the market that takes into account the complexity of modern interconnected media, content and telecom platforms and relationships. \u00a0Ultimately, we want to ensure that competition thrives in this critical market, and we don\u2019t stifle innovation or deter the emergence of cutting-edge technologies that customers demand. \u00a0Ultimately, we want to ensure that our policies don\u2019t lead to higher costs, fewer choices or worse service for consumers. \u00a0I look forward to our discussion today.-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-judiciary-subcommittee-hearing-examining-proposed-att-time"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6016471199691296, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}