TIME WARNER

DESCRIPTION:

Even among media titans, this company is a giant. Time Warner is the world's largest media conglomerate with operations spanning film, television, cable TV, publishing, and online content and services. Its film and TV production companies include New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., while its television properties include CNN, HBO, and Turner Broadcasting. Time Warner Cable is the #2 cable operator (behind Comcast), serving more than 14 million subscribers, while its AOL online access unit boasts more than 17 million Internet users. Venerable is the top consumer magazine publisher with such titles as Fortune, People, and Time.

ESPN INC

DESCRIPTION:

ESPN is a superstar of the sports broadcasting world. The company is the leading cable sports broadcaster reaching more than 97 million US homes with its stable of channels, including ESPN, ESPN2 (sporting events, news, and original programming), and ESPN Classic (historical sports footage). It also creates original programming for TV and radio and lends content for ESPN.com (operated by Walt Disney Internet Group), one of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Its international operations extend the ESPN brand to another 190 countries. ESPN is 80% owned by Walt Disney (through ABC); Hearst has a 20% stake.