FCC Approves NBC/Comcast Merger

[DToTheJ]

Comcast is chomping at the bit to complete its acquisition of the Peacock... and nothing is standing in their way now...

More info:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703954004576090121707066828.html

 

[gregg75]

They all went out for drinks and french fries afterwards. Comcast paid for everything.
The public got the shaft.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Ya think the Kabletown execs have a sense of humor? Otherwise they might
cancel 30 Rock out of spite.

 

[stationless listener]

I was going to post about it but, since I was beaten to it, I'll just say that one group that is salivating about this news is the sports leagues. They now have, at the very least, a giant stalking horse which can give them essentially what they want by offering a massive array of distribution channels in which to showcase their wares. The IOC should be breathing a sigh of relief, even though many of us weren't particularly wowed by the coverage of the last Winter Olympics, because now they don't have to face the specter of sharp cuts in rights fees for future Games.

I also think Telemundo could have a relative boost in stature, as they now have a lot more muscle to compete against Univision for programming, especially in the field of telenovelas.

However, the long-lasting effect of this merger is that it now makes it more likely that we see similar link-ups being rumored in the near future. Think of the possibility of Verizon and even the likes of Time Warner Cable or DirecTV sniffing around for media properties. Ironically, I think only NewsCorp would be safe from being taken over, just because they're so massive themselves that the MSOs themselves won't have the scratch for such a purchase.

More articles here: http://www.theatlantic.com/business...ast-nbc-union-with-some-odd-conditions/69734/
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4c9291e0-2345-11e0-b6a3-00144feab49a.html#axzz1BQPCIteH
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...c-universal-deal-gets-thumbs-up-from-fcc.html

Official (gov't) announcement: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304134A1.pdf

 

[TheBigA]

The IOC should be breathing a sigh of relief, even though many of us weren't particularly wowed by the coverage of the last Winter Olympics, because now they don't have to face the specter of sharp cuts in rights fees for future Games.

Really? I think the opposite. NBC has been losing money with the Olympics. Comcast doesn't like to lose money. I predict that NBC will not bid again for the Olympics, and it'll end up on ESPN...for a lower rights fee.

I also expect that Comcast will sell off a lot of aspects of the company that don't matter. (beyond the things required) Including perhaps the TV stations. Maybe even the TV network. Maybe the theme parks. Just because they bought it doesn't mean they're going to keep it intact.

 

[beauduran]

However, the long-lasting effect of this merger is that it now makes it more likely that we see similar link-ups being rumored in the near future. Think of the possibility of Verizon and even the likes of Time Warner Cable or DirecTV sniffing around for media properties. Ironically, I think only NewsCorp would be safe from being taken over, just because they're so massive themselves that the MSOs themselves won't have the scratch for such a purchase.

Didn't NewsCorp already own DirecTV a few years ago? And doesn't Time Warner already own CNN, TBS, TNT and the like, or are they split into 2 different companies now?

 

[KeithE4]

I also expect that Comcast will sell off a lot of aspects of the company that don't matter. (beyond the things required) Including perhaps the TV stations. Maybe even the TV network. Maybe the theme parks. Just because they bought it doesn't mean they're going to keep it intact.

I think that they will either spin off or shut down NBC and Telemundo (shutting down the former and spinning off the latter is a more likely scenario) in the next 5 years. Why keep an antiquated, money-losing program delivery method like a broadcast television network? As the interwebs get more able to handle such traffic, things like Hulu will be even more practical. NBC was smart to get involved in that.

 

[justpassingthough]

I also expect that Comcast will sell off a lot of aspects of the company that don't matter. (beyond the things required) Including perhaps the TV stations. Maybe even the TV network. Maybe the theme parks. Just because they bought it doesn't mean they're going to keep it intact.

I think that they will either spin off or shut down NBC and Telemundo (shutting down the former and spinning off the latter is a more likely scenario) in the next 5 years. Why keep an antiquated, money-losing program delivery method like a broadcast television network? As the interwebs get more able to handle such traffic, things like Hulu will be even more practical. NBC was smart to get involved in that.

I don't think that NBC will be 'shut down' in the traditional sense, but I think it will migrate over to cable and become the first network convert into a cable channel. I think, in turn, the local affiliates (any O&Os anyway) will be sold off and allowed to become independents. With the country's largest MSO on your side, it only makes sense to head this direction and focus on new platforms for distribution like the aforementioned Hulu.

 

[stationless listener]

However, the long-lasting effect of this merger is that it now makes it more likely that we see similar link-ups being rumored in the near future. Think of the possibility of Verizon and even the likes of Time Warner Cable or DirecTV sniffing around for media properties. Ironically, I think only NewsCorp would be safe from being taken over, just because they're so massive themselves that the MSOs themselves won't have the scratch for such a purchase.

Didn't NewsCorp already own DirecTV a few years ago? And doesn't Time Warner already own CNN, TBS, TNT and the like, or are they split into 2 different companies now?

Time Warner and Time Warner Cable split up a year or so ago. http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=irol-splitreverse

I know the names can confuse people, sometimes.

My point was about the bigger opening the likes of TWC, Verizon, etc. may now enjoy in case they're looking to purchase content providers.

I think that they will either spin off or shut down NBC and Telemundo (shutting down the former and spinning off the latter is a more likely scenario) in the next 5 years. Why keep an antiquated, money-losing program delivery method like a broadcast television network? As the interwebs get more able to handle such traffic, things like Hulu will be even more practical. NBC was smart to get involved in that.

Well, they won't be able to use Hulu right away. The gov't imposed some conditions on them concerning Hulu: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...stake-in-hulu-but-is-stripped-of-control.html
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375949,00.asp

 

[LKellerIII]

I also expect that Comcast will sell off a lot of aspects of the company that don't matter. (beyond the things required) Including perhaps the TV stations. Maybe even the TV network. Maybe the theme parks. Just because they bought it doesn't mean they're going to keep it intact.

I think that they will either spin off or shut down NBC and Telemundo (shutting down the former and spinning off the latter is a more likely scenario) in the next 5 years. Why keep an antiquated, money-losing program delivery method like a broadcast television network? As the interwebs get more able to handle such traffic, things like Hulu will be even more practical. NBC was smart to get involved in that.

I guess Comcast could sell off NBC O&O stations, but its way too soon to shut down NBC's broadcast operations. Give it 10 years and you may be right, but not now. Among the problems that will need to be solved: convincing all the internet providers to shell out mucho dinero to increase bandwidth using their current business model. The experts are already predicting clashes between NetFlix and the providers, who have no financial incentive to increase bandwidth to accomodate all this streaming, unless they get something out of it.

Perhaps Comcast has a built-in incentive since it is one of those internet providers, but I doubt they'd want to limit content they own to only their own subscribers.

In the meantime, Hulu and NetFlix online streaming are fun to have, but they're not ready for prime time, if you'll pardon the pun.

 

[Markxxx]

Can Comcast own NBC TV stations in cities where it has cable systems?

 

[imhomerjay]

Yes

 

[Iowan]

Here's my question: How will this merger affect production companies and distributing? Should we expect to see the byline A UNIT OF COMCAST-NBC-UNIVERSAL? Will NBC-Universal Television Distribution change its name or add the Comcast name?

 

[e-dawg]

So far I know that Comcast and NBC Owned and Operated TV stations are in these markets.
WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago
WCAU NBC 10 Philadelphia
KNTV NBC 11 San Francisco
WRC NBC 4 Washington
WTVJ NBC 6 Miami
WVIT NBC 30 Hartford

WIll they have to divest these station because of Comcast?

 

[radiolives]

Can Comcast own NBC TV stations in cities where it has cable systems?

I wonder what it would be like if NBC still owned radio stations. Would they be able to own a TV station and radio stations in the same market with a cable system?

 

[Mediafrog+]

So far I know that Comcast and NBC Owned and Operated TV stations are in these markets.
WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago
WCAU NBC 10 Philadelphia
KNTV NBC 11 San Francisco
WRC NBC 4 Washington
WTVJ NBC 6 Miami
WVIT NBC 30 Hartford

WIll they have to divest these station because of Comcast?

They also have the Telemundo station in Houston, KTMD, and Comcast is the major cable provider here. But the NBC affiliate (KPRC) is a Post-Newsweek station. Waiting to see if KTMD is spun off.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Comcast/NBC one gets bigger, the other gets smaller. You figure out which.

Democrat or Republican it seems like the mega mergers always pass no matter what.

 

[dave73]

So far I know that Comcast and NBC Owned and Operated TV stations are in these markets.
WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago
WCAU NBC 10 Philadelphia
KNTV NBC 11 San Francisco
WRC NBC 4 Washington
WTVJ NBC 6 Miami
WVIT NBC 30 Hartford

WIll they have to divest these station because of Comcast?

They also have the Telemundo station in Houston, KTMD, and Comcast is the major cable provider here. But the NBC affiliate (KPRC) is a Post-Newsweek station. Waiting to see if KTMD is spun off.

In Chicago, NBC owns Telemundo station WSNS 44. So there's a duopoly in this market.

 

[FilmCritic3K]

My hope is that Comcast does a drastic overhaul of Syfy, adding more genre fare, and maybe merge Chiller into FearNet (I'd bet money they will.). I say that but then I think thinking that is a fool`s errand, as when one looks at the cable channels Comcast currently owns - The Golf Channel, Versus, style, E! (only The Soup is worth watching), & G4, to name a few - the management and programming of those channels doesn't exactly inspire confidence in their ability to program Syfy or Chiller properly, or better than the suits at NBC Universal are currently doing. At least Robert Greenblatt is the new president of NBC; he previously was president of Showtime so hopefully he can turn around NBC's misfortunes as of late.

 

[JayR]

They also have the Telemundo station in Houston, KTMD, and Comcast is the major cable provider here.

In Chicago, NBC owns Telemundo station WSNS 44. So there's a duopoly in this market.

In Miami, NBC owns Telemundo station WSCV Channel 51, which is ahead in the ratings over O&O WTVJ NBC 6.