Between striking innovative agreements with content partners, seeking ways to revolutionize Altice USA’s products and services and preparing for the changes consolidation in the industry brings, Connolly is faced with challenges. He’s keeping a close eye on AT&T’s $85 billion proposed acquisition of Time Warner. “The outcome [of the merger] certainly could have a significant impact on how the industry looks at the potential for consolidation in the months and years ahead,” he says. Overseeing all of Altice’s legal affairs across the country, Connolly served as an adviser on Altice’s acquisition of Cablevision while a partner for Sherman & Sterling.
What have been the most important legal issues in communications for you in the past year?
Being able to successfully balance the rights of our content partners, who themselves are trying to succeed in this era of media disruption, with our company’s aggressive commitment to innovation and bringing to market new products and services that today’s customers expect.
What new legal issues do you expect in 2018?
We’ll have to wait and see what the outcome of the AT&T/Time Warner merger is once and for all, but the outcome certainly could have a significant impact on how the industry looks at the potential for consolidation in the months and years ahead.
If you could be any legal thriller writer, who would you want to be and why?
How can you not dream to be someone like John Grisham given the immense success he has had over his lengthy career. Sign me up for that.