Among indications that its joint bid with News Corp. to purchase DirecTV might be on the rocks, Liberty Media is now considering going solo as a potential buyer for the direct-to-home satellite service.
An article in the Wall Street Journal last week reported that the anticipated joint bid by Liberty and News Corp. was on the skids due to tax and antitrust considerations. Liberty spokeswoman Julie Ballantine labeled the article "speculative."
Earlier this year Robert Bennett, Liberty’s CEO, noted that Liberty and News Corp. were working on a joint offer for DirecTV. But last month, during a media conference call, News Corp. President/CEO Peter Chernin insisted that his company would not be drawn into a bidding war to acquire DirecTV.
SBC Communications, a telephone company with its eye on video delivery, is reportedly considering its own bid for DirecTV.
