As Westinghouse Electric lines up the financing for its
$5.4B bid for CBS (and possibly more for a counter-offer to a
rival bid), TBS Chair Ted Turner "is said to be doing the same
thing," according to the N.Y. POST. Turner is expected to get
approval from the TBS Board on Monday for a plan to make a
reported $6B bid for CBS Inc. Reports vary on who will join
Turner, with Seagram's Edgar Bronfman and Microsoft's Bill Gates
both mentioned (Greg Clarkin, N.Y. POST, 8/18). USA TODAY notes
that the "hot rumor" has Seagram's and Turner combining (USA
TODAY, 8/18). While the WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Turner
could use the cash gained from a purchase of King World
Production to buy out Time Warner's 19% stake in TBS, which would
facilitate a run at a network (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/18).
MORE MOUSE DROPPINGS: Michael Ovitz's move from CAA to
Disney has prompted three Baby Bells to rethink their plans for
the Tele-TV interactive programming venture. Options: Drop CAA
and find other Hollywood help; or merge with a similar Disney
venture with other communications companies (Leslie Cauley, WALL
STREET JOURNAL, 8/18).