It seems rather amusing to think that just 14 years ago the federal government essentially quashed a proposed merger between the Blockbuster and Hollywood video chains over antitrust concerns. Clearly there was a deep-rooted fear that one company could corner the market on DVDs of “Free Willy” and the “Police Academy” franchise.
Of course we all know how that story ended, with gigabits of data flowing into our homes and devices, and both companies following silent movies into oblivion. Who knows whether the synergy of two merged companies in a downward industry trend could have found the footing to pivot into the streaming revolution, but government interventionism guaranteed no one would ever find out.
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