L.A. Times: Surge In Media Mergers Is Expected Under Trump's Pro-Business Agenda

More Media Mergers?

With DONALD TRUMP now in the White House, many are guessing his pro-business agenda, along with new FCC Chairman AJIT PAI could lead to easier media mergers.

The LOS ANGELES TIMES reports, "the latest corporate maneuvering has NEW YORK-based VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC., the nation’s largest phone company with more than 114 million wireless subscribers, possibly pairing up with CONNECTICUT-based CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, which has more than 17 million customers in such key markets as LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK and DALLAS," adding "traditional media companies desperate for growth don’t want to get left behind as rivals bulk up in an effort to survive a more difficult environment."

“What is driving this [merger activity] is challenges in these businesses,”  WUNDERLICH SECURITIES Sr. Analyst MATTHEW HARRIGAN told the paper. “There are not a lot of elephants on the savanna, and when one moves, you have to move too.”

The TIMES NOTES, "TRUMP administration appointees are expected to be friendlier to corporate mergers, returning to a traditional Republican openness to approving major deals after eight years of heightened scrutiny -- and some major rejections -- under Democratic appointees of former President OBAMA."

In the past, PAI has been an critic of the FCC’s merger review process. He's on record as more willing to bless corporate deals.

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