NBC has recently "sent out some feelers" to see if talks
with Turner Broadcasting can be renewed, according to Robin
Schatz in this morning's N.Y. NEWSDAY. Schatz reports that
"enthusiasm still runs high" among both parties regarding a
merger. Schatz sites Time Warner Chair Gerald Levin's
announcement last week that his company would consider selling
its share in the company as "a factor in Turner's efforts to buy
a network" (N.Y. NEWSDAY, 2/10). This morning's WALL STREET
JOURNAL puts NBC at the "top of the list" of likely buyers of
Time Warner's share of Turner. Turner, who has "rebuffed" NBC's
overtures for a partnership, "still would like to buy NBC" and
have majority control of that company (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
2/10).
DILLER WATCH: Reports continued that outgoing QVC Chair
Barry Diller might make a run at CBS. Morgan Stanley media
analyst Alex Kassan: "What CBS needs at some point is someone
who's going to lead them forward and develop the new hits. This
is basically a hits-ridden business -- and if you have the hits,
you're a hero and if you don't, you have problems. It's as
simple as that" ("NBR," PBS, 2/9).
