Ray Seilie was recently featured in Global Competition Review examining the Department of Justice’s antitrust review of Fox Corporation’s proposed $22 billion merger with Roku and the potential role of politics in the agency’s decision-making.
Announced in June, the deal would combine Fox’s Tubi streaming service with the Roku Channel, bringing together two of the largest free, ad-supported streaming platforms. The companies expect to close the transaction in the first half of 2027, but the DOJ’s requests for additional information signal a detailed review that could take several months. The proposed merger has also drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and industry competitors over its potential impact on competition.
The review comes amid questions about President Donald Trump’s influence on antitrust enforcement, following his public criticism of Fox and broader calls for greater presidential involvement in merger decisions. While there is no evidence that Trump’s comments have influenced the investigation, the circumstances have intensified scrutiny of the regulatory process.
Ray speaks to the uncertainty surrounding the DOJ’s review and whether political considerations could influence the outcome. “The question of whether the second request means anything is really up in the air,” Ray says. “We don’t know which way the pendulum is swinging right now.”
Addressing speculation that Trump’s grievances with Fox could affect the investigation, Ray notes the difficulty of determining the president’s intentions, adding: “In the antitrust world, it’s possible that he’s trying to influence the regulators on this. It’s also possible he hasn’t even thought of that and isn’t doing anything.”
Read the full article at Global Competition Review (Subscription may be required).
