FCC chairman seeks conditions on Comcast, NBC deal

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Source: Associated Press

The head of the Federal Communications Commission proposed regulatory conditions Thursday to ensure that cable giant Comcast Corp. cannot stifle video competition once it takes control of NBC Universal.

The conditions are intended to guarantee that satellite companies, phone companies and other traditional subscription television services can still get access to marquee NBC programming once the transaction closes. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski also wants to ensure that new Internet video distributors can get the programming they need to grow and compete.

FCC officials, however, wouldn't disclose the specific conditions Thursday as fellow commissioners consider whether to back Genachowski's proposal. The chairman needs the support of at least two of them to get the plan passed. He is likely to modify parts of his proposal to win the backing he needs.

Comcast is seeking government approval to buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. for $13.8 billion in cash and assets. The deal would create a media powerhouse that both produces and distributes content.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101223/ap_en_ot/us_tec_fcc_comcast_nbc_7