The “Lack of Consensus” problem rears its ugly head again:

January 10, 2000 (CNNfn):“In a stunning development, America Online Inc. announced plans to acquire Time Warner Inc. for roughly $182 billion in stock and debt Monday, creating a digital media powerhouse with the potential to reach every American in one form or another…’Together, they represent an unprecedented powerhouse,’ said…a media analyst…’If their mantra is content, this alliance is unbeatable. Now they have this great platform they can cross-fertilize with content and redistribute.’”

May 29, 2009 (LA Times):“Time Warner’s rocky marriage to AOL is coming to an end. Citing irreconcilable differences, Time Warner Inc. said it was legally separating from its much younger spouse, America Online. The marriage, which was announced to great fanfare in January 2000, had been on the rocks practically from Day One — doomed from the get-go by lofty expectations of a new power couple that could dominate the media landscape for generations to come…The new Time Warner was applauded by analysts.

So “analysts” thought the AOL/Time Warner merger was brilliant. Until they didn’t anymore. Just goes to show that you can’t believe everything you read.

Make your decisions based on what you know, not what they think.