I remember that incredulous day Time Warner merged with AOL as though it were yesterday.
The day Merv Adelson and Gerald Levin let Steve Case take Time Warner for EVERYTHING it was worth. It was all SO surrealistic … in my mind, at least.
It was absolutely inconceivable to me that this could happen in the presence of management who knew what was transpiring. Somebody didn’t have a clue.
The entire notion was contrary to my concept of logic and reason. I further could not fathom how the powers that be at Time Warner would let this happen. The words ‘stupid’ and ‘dullard’ kept bouncing around in my mind.
Then there was the oh so humble look on Mr. Levin’s face during the announcement of that ill-fated debacle affectionately called “merger” on television … but that wasn’t the worst of my thoughts on the matter and I’ll just keep the rest to myself in the name of not beating a long dead horse.
It was downhill from that point. Shares plunged. Corporate cultures collided. The negotiations faux pas of the century went South quickly.
The strategy was purely ego gone mad. Now Time Warner suffers the consequences both fiscally and owning the same lame technical reputation of AOL’s interface, support, and user base.
I remember telling a close friend just how big a mistake I thought it all was at the time. No wonder they’re both conducting reductions in force with wild abandon.
In two weeks or so the one of the biggest idiotic exchanges of corporate saliva in recent history ends and Time Warner will finally be free of AOL. I maintain that it shouldn’t have ever happened. I may never do business with Time Warner again because of their merger with AOL. It’s a matter of respect. They lost mine.
Can I get a duh ?
Tags: Technology