at&t buying t-mobile - Google News

This is disappointing news. This will not be good for consumers. It'll probably be good for some stockholders. I'm hoping that anti-trust laws kick in with this one--doubtful though, the government hasn't really stepped in when it comes to mergers in a LONG time.

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Political Buddies

I think the government seriously stopped caring, I have seen many large companies "merge" in the 2000s and nobody does jack, even when it basically gives them a monopoly in an industry.. :S

This will be nowhere near a monopoly though. Verizon, Sprint, and others are HUGE. That said, AT&T is awful, so this sucks.

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Frrrrrt!

Well I didn't really mean this particular case, but.. There have been some some rather massive mergers in the past decade or so. If it keeps being allowed and ignored, eventually we'll wind up with what we have with cable tv. like 4 companies that just settle in certain regions and don't compete. >.<

I was unaware of that practice. It makes sense though. Awful. That doesn't seem to be the case here, though. We have Comcast, Dish, DirectTV, a local called Click! and probably more.

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Frrrrrt!

The mergers that really worry me are media mergers. All of TV media is pretty much owned by like 4 or 5 companies.

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Political Buddies

Radio too. Clear Channel seems to own a lot. I remember on The Bob Rivers Show when it was on KZOK the guys would express their love for classic rock in a genuine fashion, and Bob would comically add, "And our sister station plays the best top 40. That's great music too. I love Clear Channel."

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Frrrrrt!

We have.. spotty satellite, and one cable company.
Most of the country from what I have heard have one cable company, usually charter or whatever the Warner bros one is.. Satellite seems to compete some, but the cable companies.. ehh..

And I've noticed what fmeh said, over half of the tv channels seem to be owned by one of four companies.. :S