AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson (left) and CEO of Time Warner Jeffrey Bewkes during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, December 2016 in Washington, DC.

AT&T and Time Warner can finally breathe a sigh of relief: A judge has approved the companies’s $85.4 billion merger.

The deal had no conditions. It was expected that AT&T might have to sell CNN or some other asset in order to get the deal approved.

Many analysts expected that the U.S. Department of Justice would file an appeal to prevent AT&T and Time Warner from closing the deal on Monday, the earliest it can close. Time Warner currently has until June 21 to complete the merger, but it could be extended.

Also Read: Time Warner Stock Price Spikes After AT&T Merger Approval

“We are pleased that, after conducting a full and fair trial on the merits, the Court has categorically rejected the government’s lawsuit to block our merger with Time Warner,” AT&T General Counsel David McAtee, said in a statement. “We thank the Court for its thorough and timely examination of the evidence, and we compliment our colleagues at the Department of Justice on their dedicated representation of the government.

“We look forward to closing the merger on or before June 20 so we can begin to give consumers video entertainment that is more affordable, mobile, and innovative.”

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon urged the DoJ not to push back on the ruling. In his written opinion, Judge Leon said he wouldn’t grant the government a stay, preventing the companies from merging by June 21, and that he doesn’t believe the government is likely to have success in an appeal.

Also Read: How the AT&T-Time Warner Decision Could Change the Future of Big Media Mergers

The DoJ sued to block the merger back in November 2017, arguing that a combined AT&T-Time Warner would use its newfound leverage in ways detrimental to consumers. Those could include raising licensing fees, charging more for channels, or otherwise increasing costs for viewers.

During the course of the trial, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said that the idea that the merger would harm consumers was “ridiculous.”

In his written opinion on the case, Judge Leon said: “The Government has failed to meet its burden to establish that the proposed transaction is likely to lessen competition substantially.

“Watching vertically integrated, data-informed entities thrive as television subscriptions and advertising revenues declined, AT&T and Time Warner concluded that each had a problem that the other could solve,” he continued. “Together, AT&T and Time Warner concluded that both companies could stop ‘chasing taillights’ and catch up with the competition.”

Pamela Chelin contributed to this reporting.

9 Biggest Billion-Dollar Entertainment and Media Deals in 2017 (Photos)

While all eyes were on AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, announced in late 2016 but facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, there were plenty of other megadeals in media, tech and entertainment that kept investment bankers busy in 2017.

Here are some of the biggest deals of the year:
Getty Images
Disney to acquire most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion

In a massive deal that could change the entertainment industry even more than AT&T-Time Warner, Disney announced plans to acquire Fox's film and TV studios and much of its non-broadcast television business, including regional sports networks and cable networks such as FX, FXX and Nat Geo. Disney would also pick up Fox’s stake in the European pay-TV giant Sky — and be better positioned to win regulatory approval to complete the acquisition of the 61 percent of the company it does not already own.
Discovery Communications agrees to buy Scripps Networks Interactive for $11.9 billion

The merger of two cable powerhouses brings together channels including Discovery, Science, Food Network and HGTV – and could give the combined company a stronger position as pay-TV continues to migrate to the internet.
Discovery/Scripps
Sinclair Broadcast Group agrees to buy Tribune Media for $3.8 billion

This deal, if approved, would give conservative-leaning Sinclair control of 223 stations in 108 markets, including 39 of the top 50, covering 72 percent of households in the country. And it's only possible under rule changes implemented by new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
Sinclair/Tribune
Cineworld offers to buy Regal Cinemas for more than $3 billion

After a string of movie theater mergers last year, the sector has quieted down -- along with the box office. And while this isn’t yet a done deal -- or even an accepted offer -- British chain Cineworld made a late November bid of $23 a share for the U.S.’s No. 2 cinema chain.
Cineworld/Regal
Meredith Corp. acquires Time Inc. for $2.8 billion

The magazine megadeal is a sign of changing times in the publishing industry, with the owner of esteemed brands like Time, Fortune and Sports Illustrated selling to the parent of Better Homes and Gardens and Country Life – backed by $650 million from big-time conservative donors the Koch brothers.
Meredith/Time
Verizon acquires Straight Path Communications for $2.3 billion

Straight Path may not be a household name, but it was the subject of a bidding war between AT&T and Verizon. The company is one of the largest owners of millimeter wave spectrum, seen as key to the buildout of 5G networks, which should power much faster mobile internet -- better for video -- in the near future.
Verizon/Straight Path
Disney buys the rest of BAMTech for $1.6 billion

The Mouse House jumped into internet TV in a major way in 2017, announcing upcoming Disney and ESPN-branded streaming services and acquiring the rest of streaming tech company BAMTech to power those products.
Disney/BAMTech
Entercom buys CBS Radio for $1.5 billion

CBS Radio was intended to be spun off from its broadcast parent in an IPO, but instead it was scooped up by a competitor. The combined company, now the second largest radio business in the country, owns and operates 244 stations in 47 markets.
Entercom/CBS Radio
MGM buys the rest of Epix for $1 billion

The independent studio went all in on the pay-TV business, buying the rest of the premium cable network from Viacom and Lionsgate. And that's paid immediate dividends, as MGM's media networks division propelled it to a strong third quarter.
MGM/Epix

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Rewind 2017: Media and content consolidation continued this year

While all eyes were on AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, announced in late 2016 but facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, there were plenty of other megadeals in media, tech and entertainment that kept investment bankers busy in 2017.

Here are some of the biggest deals of the year:

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