Comcast-NBC Universal deal faces regulatory hurdle

[babsbunny]

Comcast-NBC Universal deal faces regulatory hurdle

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/dec/04/comcast-nbc-universal

James Robinson
guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 December 2009 16.43 GMT

Regulators in the US could scupper Comcast's $14bn deal to take control of NBC Universal, which the American cable giant hopes will create a powerful new force in American broadcasting.

Michael Copps, a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, the US media industry regulator, said the tie-up faced "a very steep climb".

Copps also hinted that the agreed deal, which would see General Electric, NBCU's majority ownership, sell a 51% controlling stake in the company to Comcast, may be subject to a string of conditions.

[glowing]

1. Like the money won't buy off the people it needs to buy off. The people who are supposed

to be in charge of protecting us from corporate schemes is just not there. Too big to fail and buying out the competition really sucks for us. Already we have hundreds of channels with nothing on.. and corporate snooze that sucks.. case in point it has spent endless days discussing Tiger Woods (nobody I know gives a fly fuck about Tiger's Wood), endless speculation about a person at the Whitehouse who is in charge of entertainment instead of the s.s. who actually f'd up.. Perhaps she had to borrow the bathroom at the moment those two stepped thru the door (the media is just aiming at Obama and shooting until it becomes an issue). Honestly, there is enough real news that they don't need to make up stories or issues.

[laughingliberal]

2. Let's hope it faces miles of regulatory hurdles. Let's hope it's strangled in its crib nt

[pinniped]

3. Good. Comcrap needs to be out of business.

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