by:
Clurman, Richard M.

Publisher:
Simon and Schuster
Published:February 1, 1992
ISBN:0671692275
Format:Hardcover
Pages:368

Description: From Publishers Weekly
The ballyhooed merger of Time Inc., blue-chip publishing empire, and Warner Communications, high-flying pop entertainment conglomerate, was the biggest media merger ever and the last such highly leveraged deal in the booming 1980s. In a gossipy, juicy probe packed with details on the seamy side of Warner's business dealings, Clurman ( Beyond Malice ), a former Time Inc. journalist and executive, portrays top Warner honcho Steve Ross as a smooth-talking, seductive mogul with a checkered past who romanced Time's top management even as the fine print in the merger agreements punished stockholders and gave Warner a strong upper hand. Clurman focuses on the personalities, the disparate corporate cultures and the mixed results of the marriage thus far in a no-holds-barred inquiry that digs beneath the headlines to reveal the ills and challenges facing the new mega-empire. First serial to Vanity Fair; author tour.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Time Warner was born out of a merger between Time Inc. and Warner Communications, resulting in the creation of arguably the largest media conglomerate in the world. How did these two giants find their way to the corporate altar? It is a fascinating story, and Clurman, a former Time writer, sets the stage by taking us back to when Henry Luce, Time Inc.'s founder, reigned supreme and how at his death in 1967, Time Inc. represented the pinnacle of American journalism. We also see the early beginnings of Steven Ross, the charismatic leader of Warner and later the CEO of Time Warner. Through extensive research as well as interviews with all the principals, Clurman presents the intrigue, the legal chicanery, the questionable antics of investment bankers anxious to "get the deal done," and the drive to get top dollar ostensibly for the sake of shareholders but in reality more for top executives and other corporate insiders. What was the price tag for all of this? At slightly over $14 billion with almost another $500 million in various banking, financial, and legal fees, it was the last major merger of the 1980s. To the End of Time is an informative, entertaining, and often compelling story. Recommended for all large business collections and journalism/media collections.
- Richard Drezen, Merrill Lynch Lib., New York
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.