While we do believe that there can be so-called "synergies" in various mergers and acquisitions, it often does seem as though companies play up what those synergies may be. Take for example the news that TV channel Fox News has set up shop on Facebook, rather than the social network's main competitor MySpace -- which just so happens to be owned by Fox as well. Basically, Fox News recognized that it was probably more likely to find an audience on Facebook, which highlights how silly some expected "synergies" often turn out to be. If Fox News had gone with MySpace instead, due to "synergies," the end effect would have been worse, as it would have gone with the social network that didn't fit as well. In other words, the so-called "synergies" wouldn't actually have been... well... synergistic. So, instead, it just highlights how the expected synergies don't even exist.

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