AT&T says Time Warner purchase could avoid FCC scrutiny

#ATT Inc expects to be able to bypass a powerful telecommunications regulator in its planned $85.4 billion acquisition of #TimeWarner Inc (TWX.N), the companies said in regulatory filings on Friday. Time Warner said that since it does not plan to transfer any Federal Communications Commission licenses to AT&T, it would likely not need FCC approval and would only need the consent of the U.S. Justice Department. AT&T could forego the FCC by unloading a Time Warner broadcast station, analysts say. Despite its big media footprint, Time Warner has only one FCC-regulated broadcast station, WPCH-TV in Atlanta. But it has other more minor FCC licenses. Time Warner said in its filing it does not anticipate it "will not need to transfer any of its FCC licenses to AT&T in order to continue to conduct its business operations after the closing."

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