Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes this week hinted at a meeting with investors that he might consider a sale of the company, according to the New York Post. Apple, which reportedly is interested in purchasing Time Warner or its media assets, is keeping a close eye on the discussions. Buying Time Warner’s assets would give the flailing Apple TV streaming service much-needed programming: CNN, Turner Sports, shows such as Sesame Street and Game of Thrones, as well as movies and TV shows from Warner Bros.
Here is what I told E-Commerce Times about this. “Around this time 16 years ago, AOL and Time Warner announced their megamerger, [and] Time Warner then had the same problems that it has now. There were struggles to provide any meaningful return on equity. It was hoped AOL could provide the necessary Internet eyeballs that would breathe life into the aging media giant. Now, Time Warner is in the same position looking for a white knight who can make sense of the media conglomerate. Apple is in a far superior position than AOL was. AOL merely used its high-flying shares as a currency to cash; Apple would be able to pay cash.”
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