AT&T loses its way.(Brief Article)

Advertising Age, April, 2001 by Friedman, Wayne

When AT&T Corp. spent $115 billion to acquire cable TV properties from Tele-Communications Inc., MediaOne and Liberty Media in 1999, industry watchers expected the behemoth ultimately to reshape cable TV's landscape.

It hasn't happened yet. For all of its 16 million cable subscribers and perceived marketplace clout, AT&T Broadband today is burdened by the financial problems of the parent company, which is casting a shadow on the cable operation's future.

Although AT&T remains the No. 1 cable provider, several smaller cable rivals are surging ahead, growing through acquisition of regional systems and launching tightly focused marketing campaigns centering on next-generation digital technology.

Now, in the face of an ongoing financial squeeze...

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