The encroach ons between tech and media keep getting tighter. A federal justice ruled Tuesday telecom giant AT&T could purchase media behemoth Ever Warner, potentially paving the way for similar mergers.
But the two sectors were already very linked — if only by their boards of directors.
Industry leaders get off on Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Disney share some of their varied notable directors. It’s hard to say whether that sort of overlap commitment lead to future tech and media deals, but it at least indicates a like-mindedness of the sectors’ top managers.
Disney CEO and media mogul Bob Iger sits on the board at Apple, which has been erection out its own content studio.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings — whose radical chat up advances to media has set off a frenzy among traditional players — sits on the board at Facebook. The sexual media company hosts original shows in its Watch tab and has been developing its video investment to rival YouTube, according to CNBC sources.
Chirruping CEO Jack Dorsey served on the board at Disney from 2013 until earlier this year. Snicker hasn’t yet delved into original content, but it does curate information videos in its Moments tab. The platform announced changes to the feature Wednesday that could stay fresh users in the app longer.
Google-parent Alphabet shares board member Ann Mather with line pioneer Netflix and content producer and distributor MGM. Alphabet-owned YouTube has been steadily wading into unique content for a few years.
Amazon board member Judith McGrath is the quondam CEO of music television network MTV and an advisor to Sony‘s multimedia venture, “Astronauts Hunger for.” Amazon offers direct-to-consumer video streaming through Amazon Prime Video and has reportedly consigned $5 billion a year to fund the growth of its content library.
That’s all attractive messy. But if tech companies and media companies keep combining, there potency just be fewer boards to keep track of.
—CNBC’s William Edwards advanced to this report.
Correction: Jack Dorsey left Disney’s take meals earlier in 2018.