US said to suggest ways AT&T could win Time Warner approval

The US Justice Department suggested to AT&T officials that they figure out how to get the benefits they’re seeking from their proposed merger with Time Warner without being able to own CNN, TBS and other Turner channels, said people familiar with the discussions. Antitrust officials advised AT&T to explore alternatives such as selling Turner and then forming a joint venture with the newly separated company, said two people, who asked not be named because the conversations are private. Such a venture could sell advertising on the Turner networks to exploit AT&T’s user data, without the telecommunications giant owning the broadcasting unit, said one of the people.

BLOOMBERG<