Christine Varney

Google-ITA Deal Frightens Even More Legislators

John Paczkowski in News on February 11, 2011 at 3:12 am PT

A few more hurdles for Google to overcome as it works to wrap up its now seven-months-pending acquisition of flight information software company ITA. This week saw two letters of concern sent to the DOJ, one from Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, the other from Rep. Howard Coble and Rep. Thomas Petri.

Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger Gets Conditional Thumbs Up From DOJ (Plus D7 Video With TKTM CEO Azoff)

Kara Swisher in News on January 25, 2010 at 4:46 pm PT

While many thought it would not sail through regulatory scrutiny easily, and it has taken a year, the merger of two entertainment industry giants–Ticketmaster and Live Nation–can go forward as long as a certain set of conditions is met, the Department of Justice said. And while DOJ’s antitrust head, Christine Varney, told reporters today that she warned the two companies that the federal government was prepared to litigate if necessary, it–well–did not. Now, the combined company will be able to do everything from selling tickets to booking artists to selling their T-shirts and more. Does this concentration of power mean ticket prices will go up for consumers?

MicroHoo Answers Some Deal Questions for Critic: A Q&A!

Kara Swisher in News on October 8, 2009 at 1:20 pm PT

Yesterday, BoomTown wrote about the status of the regulatory investigation for the Microsoft-Yahoo search and online advertising pact, which most expect to get approved. One of the few vocal critics of the deal, though, is Jeffrey Chester, the executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a public interest group, who lobbed MicroHoo some important questions. Here are the answers.

WWGD: What Will Google Do, Now That There Is Finally a MicroHoo?

Kara Swisher in News on July 29, 2009 at 6:54 am PT

With upward of two-thirds of the search market, depending on what survey you use, one would not imagine that Google would worry too much about any kind of hookup of Microsoft and Yahoo. Think again. Sources at Google said the company is bracing for a more robust rival, which will force the company to compete and innovate more aggressively. They add that Google will likely try to keep a low profile at first in opposing the deal announced today, positing that regulators have the same opinion about fewer competitors in the market as they did when opposing a similar Google-Yahoo search deal last year.

Hell of a Way to Get Out of Your AT&T Contract, Varney…

John Paczkowski in News on July 6, 2009 at 12:15 pm PT

Earlier this year, Christine Varney, the new antitrust chief at the Department of Justice, said she planned to return the DOJ to a policy that led to landmark antitrust suits like the one against Microsoft in the ’90s. And she delivered on that promise in short order. Since her confirmation in late April, the DOJ has seen a sort of Trustbuster renaissance. It has begun inquiring into potentially anticompetitive recruiting practices in Silicon Valley. It’s opened an investigation into the Google Books settlement. And now it’s scrutinizing cellphone exclusivity deals, like the lucrative one between Apple and AT&T.

Hell of a Way to Get Out of Your AT&T Contract, Varney…

John Paczkowski in News on July 6, 2009 at 12:15 pm PT

Earlier this year, Christine Varney, the new antitrust chief at the Department of Justice, said she planned to return the DOJ to a policy that led to landmark antitrust suits like the one against Microsoft in the ’90s. And she delivered on that promise in short order. Since her confirmation in late April, the DOJ has seen a sort of Trustbuster renaissance. It has begun inquiring into potentially anticompetitive recruiting practices in Silicon Valley. It’s opened an investigation into the Google Books settlement. And now it’s scrutinizing cellphone exclusivity deals, like the lucrative one between Apple and AT&T.

DOJ Fishing Expedition Spotted Off Silicon Valley

John Paczkowski in News on June 3, 2009 at 6:36 am PT

When Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney said she plans to take a more aggressive approach to antitrust enforcement, she wasn’t kidding. Under her leadership the US Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the recruiting practices at Google, Apple, Yahoo, and Genentech, among others.

EC Shooting for Antitrust Trifecta–Microsoft, Intel, Google?

John Paczkowski in News on May 12, 2009 at 4:00 am PT

Christine Varney, head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, famously referred to Microsoft’s monopoly as “so last century.” In her mind, it’s Google we need to watch out for. “[Microsoft is] not the problem,” she said. “I think we’re going to continue to see a problem, potentially, with Google.” And apparently European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes agrees.

Time to Give Up That Apple Board Seat, Eric

John Paczkowski in News on May 5, 2009 at 3:55 am PT

He had a good run of it, but Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s stint as an Apple director may be coming to an end. Now that the Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether the close ties between Apple’s and Google’s boards of directors violate antitrust laws, Schmidt’s seat on the former’s board, which he has held since August 2006, seems more trouble than its worth.