Chase Carey, co-chief operating officer of the News Corporation, for example, said that Fox would not acquire any more sports teams.

"We are patient," John Alchin, a Comcast executive vice president and co-chief financial officer, said in a telephone interview on Friday.

At the time, Mr. Parsons was co-chief operating officer in charge of divisions outside the AOL unit.

Mandate Chief Executive Joe Drake returned to the company as co-chief operating officer of its film unit.

"They need to shut down - then we can talk," Richard Parsons, co-chief operating officer of AOL Time Warner, told reporters.

He is also co-chief operating officer of News Corporation.

The firm also appointed Scott J. Freidheim and Ian T. Lowitt as co-chief administrative officers.

Matt Freeman, 30, co-chief creative officer, was named chief executive.

And John Young, 40, co-chief creative officer, was named chief creative officer.

Named co-chief operating officer at the time, he was largely pushed aside during the merger negotations and crucial decisions afterward.