While consolidation continues unabated in the traditional broadcast markets, more old media firms are trying to hook their fortunes to new media firms. Mergers are coming across sectors and media industries, including radio, TV, satellite, cable, billboards, telephones and various Internet enterprises. Wall Street and media executives say the tendency to merge shows no signs of letting up in 1999. Investment bankers also expect a good number of TV station groups to come on the market. DBS takeovers are unlikely since the market is shrinking to two players.
Broadcast television is in a holding pattern with only a few sizable deals likely.
Internet Everyone wants to get an Internet portal partner. Last week the latest pairing was USA Networks and Lycos with its Internet powerhouse search engine. Analysts and insiders say it is still open season for Internet portal plays. Up until the USA Networks deal, the only sure constant, observers said, was that the portal players got money and media partners able to deliver more eyeballs. In traditional media what wins is content.