Universal Studios
ORG
Universal Universal Studios
Many investors and analysts became star-struck, because they appear to have overlooked doing any real analysis of the transaction. If they had, they might have come to this conclusion: Mr. Geffen, a master negotiator, twisted Viacom into overpaying so much for the deal, outbidding General Electric's Universal, that the producers of the bloated box-office flop "Waterworld" may start to look smart. On a conference call with investors and the news media when the deal was announced, Mr. Geffen was asked if he and Mr. Spielberg would move their offices from Universal Studios in the San Fernando Valley to Paramount's lot in Hollywood and his answer was that he doesn't think that Steven will ever leave his offices on the Universal lot. If they had, they might this conclusion that Mr. Geffen, who is a master negotiator, twisted Viacom into overpaying so much for the deal outbidding General Electric's Universal that the producers of the bloated box-office flop ''Waterworld'' may start to look smart. Mr. Geffen was asked on a conference call with investors and the news media when the deal was announced that if he and Mr. Spielberg would move their offices from Universal Studios in the San Fernando Valley to Paramount's lot in Hollywood. He don't think Steven will ever leave his offices on the Universal lot.