Still, the timing of the lawsuit cast a shadow over a deal that was already being dogged by rancorous Turner shareholders and dissension in Time Warner's executive ranks.

(At the time, Mr. Malone controlled Tele-Communications Inc., or TCI, a big cable company that was a major Turner shareholder.)

In the deal, Turner shareholders would get 0.75 share of Time Warner for each share of Turner stock.

Time Warner, which plans to acquire Turner using Time Warner stock, wants to pay Liberty with common stock, arguing that all Turner shareholders should be treated equally.

Most Turner shareholders were to receive three shares of Time Warner for every four shares of Turner stock they would exchange.

The apparent unwillingness of two big Turner shareholders, Time Warner Inc. and Tele-Communications Inc., to support the deal for King World was not a surprise.

Time Warner has proposed buying Turner in a stock swap, offering Turner shareholders about three-quarters of a share of Time Warner for each Turner share.

Time Warner has been negotiating to sell its interest to Ted Turner and John C. Malone, the president of Tele-Communications and a major Turner shareholder.

The meeting of Turner shareholders - the last for the company, whose stock stopped trading yesterday - turned sentimental.

One large imponderable is what the response of another major Turner shareholder, Tele-Communications Inc., will be.

Still, the timing of the lawsuit cast a shadow over a deal that was already being dogged by rancorous Turner shareholders and dissension in Time Warner's executive ranks.

(At the time, Mr. Malone controlled Tele-Communications Inc., or TCI, a big cable company that was a major Turner shareholder.)

In the deal, Turner shareholders would get 0.75 share of Time Warner for each share of Turner stock.

Time Warner, which plans to acquire Turner using Time Warner stock, wants to pay Liberty with common stock, arguing that all Turner shareholders should be treated equally.

Most Turner shareholders were to receive three shares of Time Warner for every four shares of Turner stock they would exchange.

The apparent unwillingness of two big Turner shareholders, Time Warner Inc. and Tele-Communications Inc., to support the deal for King World was not a surprise.

Time Warner has proposed buying Turner in a stock swap, offering Turner shareholders about three-quarters of a share of Time Warner for each Turner share.

Time Warner has been negotiating to sell its interest to Ted Turner and John C. Malone, the president of Tele-Communications and a major Turner shareholder.

The meeting of Turner shareholders - the last for the company, whose stock stopped trading yesterday - turned sentimental.

One large imponderable is what the response of another major Turner shareholder, Tele-Communications Inc., will be.