Future of TV in balance as AT&T, Time Warner plead merger case

AT&T says a merger benefits consumers by creating efficiencies

Fans will be glued to the “March Madness” college basketball tournament as the joint owner of rights for the games, Time Warner Inc, goes before a judge on Thursday to defend a proposed takeover by AT&T.

With some 12 million viewers per game last year, the NCAA tournament exemplifies the marquee programming the US government argues will become more expensive if Time Warner is bought by AT&T, the biggest pay-TV provider via subsidiary DirecTV.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit in November to stop AT&T, which has some 25 million pay-TV subscribers, from closing the $85 billion deal. AT&T says a merger