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Technology Stocks : Gemstar Intl (GMST) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Stichnoth who wrote (981)	12/5/1999 5:31:00 PM
From: NY Stew	Respond to of 6516

John, As Gemstar moves to more of an advertising-driven model, for at least a portion of its business, they will need a lot of the infrastructure that TV Guide can provide. Specifically, advertising sales and traffic management issues are all old-hat to TV Guide, and will be needed as Guide Plus+ comes to the fore. Bingo! Regards Stew

To: John Stichnoth who wrote (981)	12/5/1999 6:14:00 PM
From: quidditch	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 6516

John, excellent point. On TVGIA's currently discounted price, I have had questions for some time as to whether the HSR review would require one or both of the parties to the merger to divest certain assets or businesses relating to the EPG or IPG space. Having opined this, I can't say that I know that the FTC views that space as one that requires competition to protect the public interest. Given that the EPG/IPG enhances the viewing experience/will facilitate the navigation between and among broadcast and internet media, I'm not yet convinced in my own mind that it is a legitimate concern for the FTC: viewers will continue to be able to have unfettered choice in hardware/broadast media/program distribution vendors. It is perhaps just at that point in time at the convergence in hardware and software when GMST's business model begins to address its most powerful forecast inflection point--as the ubiquitous (and unavoidable???) portal when TV viewers/Web surfers navigate back and forth between media traveling through GMST's guide/advertising space--that a legitimate concern for the FTC (and if so, for us stockholders if the FTC decided it would like to shear off some of that space for other contenders) might surface. Thoughts welcomed. Steve