The FCC’s New Wireless Competition Report: The Right Way to Look at the Industry
“If we had any more innovation [in wireless] I think our heads…
Antitrust and Competition
Economic analysis of markets is a core part of what we do. Our research has focused on mergers, vertical integration, and global competition policy. Our experts have deep experience in competition policy.
FTC Clears Google-AdMob Deal
The FTC today cleared Google’s acquisition of AdMob – a good decision…
Screening and Simplifying the Competition Arguments in the NBC/Comcast Transaction
The proposed joint venture between Comcast Corporation and NBC Universal is a significant transaction in a significant market. The transaction will create a large media and distribution company, including the programming assets of both NBC, a leading national programmer, and Comcast, which owns several cable networks and some regional sports networks, and the distribution assets of NBC (namely, its owned-and-operated broadcast television stations). This new company will be majority-owned by Comcast, which in its own right is the nation�s largest distributor of multi-channel video programming, and Comcast could be in the position, within the next few years, to own 100% of the new joint venture. The size of the transaction is made more important by the markets in which the companies operate: the companies are more than just producers and distributors of entertainment and sports programming, which are of course important in their own rights, the companies also produce and distribute news and political programming. The mass media has long been considered a market important enough not only to draw scrutiny from antitrust authorities but also to justify the attention of a specialized regulator, using sector-specific regulation designed to achieve specific outcomes.
NBC/Comcast Should be Judged only on Antitrust Concerns
Antitrust analysis of the proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal should focus only on its effect on competition in relevant markets and resulting harm to consumers, states James Speta in “Screening and Simplifying the Competition Arguments in the NBC/Comcast Transaction” released today by the Technology Policy Institute.
Google’s Acquisition of AdMob
A decision by the FTC on whether to allow Google’s acquisition of…
Google-AdMob: A Bad Precedent
TPI President Thomas Lenard published a piece on Forbes.com discussing the expected involvement of federal regulators in Google’s acquisition of AdMob. In the piece, Lenard warns of possible shortcomings of traditional merger analysis if applied to the fast-moving mobile advertising market and urges regulators to carefully consider the long-term effects of antitrust action on innovation in this space. The entire piece can be found at Forbes.com.
Antitrust, Economics, and Innovation in the Obama Administration
Antitrust, Economics, and Innovation in the Obama Administration Joshua D. Wright
The Middle Way on Applying Antitrust to Information Technology
The Middle Way on Applying Antitrust to Information Technology David Evans
October 16th Event: Antitrust and the Dynamics of Competition in High-Tech Industries
The way the government applies antitrust laws can significantly affect innovation and investment, for good or ill. IT firms have characteristics that make antitrust enforcement more complex, including significant amounts of intangible capital, supply- and demand-side economies of scale, and rapidly changing markets characterized by continuous innovation. The new administration has signaled a more proactive approach to antitrust enforcement, particularly with respect to high-tech and Internet-based markets. This Congressional Seminar will examine the proper application of antitrust policy to the IT sector and the direction the new administration is taking.