FCC seeks more info from Comcast, NBC

The Federal Communications Commission is requesting additional information from Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal as it reviews the cable operator’s plan to acquire a controlling stake in the media company, reports the Associated Press. The FCC on Oct. 4 sent letters to Comcast and NBC Universal asking questions about both companies’ businesses. Among other things, regulators are seeking details about Comcast’s distribution agreements for several popular cable channels that it already owns. The FCC also wants details about Comcast’s current channel lineups and about the thinking behind Comcast’s decisions on which programming to carry. From NBC Universal, the FCC is asking for details about existing agreements with a number of cable, satellite, and phone companies to carry popular NBC Universal channels. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator, is seeking FCC and Justice Department approval to acquire a 51 percent interest in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. The combination has raised worries among satellite companies, rival cable operators, and other subscription video providers that Comcast would use its control of NBC Universal to push up prices for must-have programming or even withhold it altogether. In addition, regulators are studying the likely impact of the deal on the nascent market for online video, which has the potential to threaten Comcast’s core cable business. Public interest groups are worried that Comcast could try to stifle the market’s growth by withholding programming from the internet or forcing consumers to subscribe to cable to get access to content online…

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Congressional Democrats challenge Comcast, NBC on merger

Congressional Democrats on Feb. 4 challenged executives from Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal to show that the cable TV operator’s plan to take control of the entertainment company won’t hurt consumers and rivals, reports the Associated Press. In back-to-back hearings, members of House and Senate subcommittees expressed concern that the transaction could lead to such competitive harms as higher cable TV rates and fewer video programming choices. Comcast is seeking federal approval to acquire a 51-percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. The Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission are expected to sign off, but likely with conditions—and input from Congress could sway the outcome of those regulatory reviews. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told lawmakers that the combination would produce “a more creative and innovative company that will meet consumer demands” and drive more innovation among competitors. But Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said he is worried about the dangers of allowing the nation’s largest cable and broadband provider to take control of NBC Universal’s vast media empire. “When the same company produces the programs and runs the pipes that bring us those programs, we have a reason to be nervous,” said Franken, a former comedian who spent nearly two decades as a writer and performer for NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”…

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