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FCC Approves NBC/Comcast Merger

NoWayNoCC said:
TheBigA said:
But once again, what motivation does a state have to override this decision?

Do I really need to say why monopolies are a bad idea?

Comcast is not a monopoly other than to the extent that local governments usually grant a cable franchise to only one company. But that's not a monopoly as far as federal law is concerned. It could be considered a monopoly like your electricity provider is a monopoly in your area. But even then, they do have competition in DirecTV and Dish Network.

NBC is not a monopoly by anyone's definition.

(Edited to clarify my earlier statement that Comcast is not a monopoly - KE)
 
NoWayNoCC said:
TheBigA said:
But once again, what motivation does a state have to override this decision?

Do I really need to say why monopolies are a bad idea?

No, you need to explain the motivation a state has to override this decision. Because states do lots of things to encourage and protect monopolies, like cable franchises. I don't know about you, but in my town, I have only one source for cable. That was not a federal decision. That was a local one.
 
I think you're speaking for yourself here. I don't see any public outcry.

"We the people" vote for the federal government to make these decisions.
 
NoWayNoCC said:
TheBigA said:
What do you mean "we?"

"We, the people."

The people who were given the authority by our elected representatives to make such a decision already gave the OK, with certain conditions. So, at least indirectly, "we" approved it.
 
I think that says more about the types of sites you visit than anything else. IOt certainly isn't representative of what "we the people" think. But regardless, this isn't like some reality TV show where people get to vote on things.
 
The Tenth Amendment has no application here, whatsoever. This is a merger between two companies that participate in interstate commerce- which always has been and most likely always will be, regulated by federal rules created by Congress. "We, the people" has as much standing as you going into a ballot box to cast your vote for your member from the House of Representatives and your state's Senators. "We, the people" is a widely used paradigm that the Founding Fathers had no real affection for, as the direct election of Senators by the people wasn't even around until the 20th century during the Progressive movement. Your only recourse as "We, the People" was the direct election of your House representative, which is the less powerful of the two legislative bodies. So your recourse is to vote for someone else as your House representative, and they MAY decide to vote against the appointments of the President to agencies like the FCC or the Justice Department. I love when "We, the people" is used so ineloquently as it completely corrupts the original intentions of the Founding Fathers. Again, if you have a problem with it, take it up with Thomas Jefferson.

In this case, neither company is a monopoly. Comcast may be the only cable provider in your area, but I assume you live in the US and are able to receive DBS from DirecTV or Dish Network, free OTA television from FCC licensed stations, or television through the internet through a variety of sources- cable again, DSL, dial up, etc. NBC also has no monopoly, as its distribution still mainly lies in its local affiliates, which are licensed through the FCC.
 
justpassingthough said:
The Tenth Amendment has no application here, whatsoever. This is a merger between two companies that participate in interstate commerce- which always has been and most likely always will be, regulated by federal rules created by Congress. "We, the people" has as much standing as you going into a ballot box to cast your vote for your member from the House of Representatives and your state's Senators. "We, the people" is a widely used paradigm that the Founding Fathers had no real affection for, as the direct election of Senators by the people wasn't even around until the 20th century during the Progressive movement. Your only recourse as "We, the People" was the direct election of your House representative, which is the less powerful of the two legislative bodies. So your recourse is to vote for someone else as your House representative, and they MAY decide to vote against the appointments of the President to agencies like the FCC or the Justice Department. I love when "We, the people" is used so ineloquently as it completely corrupts the original intentions of the Founding Fathers. Again, if you have a problem with it, take it up with Thomas Jefferson.

In this case, neither company is a monopoly. Comcast may be the only cable provider in your area, but I assume you live in the US and are able to receive DBS from DirecTV or Dish Network, free OTA television from FCC licensed stations, or television through the internet through a variety of sources- cable again, DSL, dial up, etc. NBC also has no monopoly, as its distribution still mainly lies in its local affiliates, which are licensed through the FCC.

So I see Free Republic has joined this website.
 
bpatrick said:
justpassingthough said:
KeithE4 said:
TheBigA said:
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.

If Comcast converts NBC to a cable network, I'm looking for the biggest bunch of affiliate switches since the '90s. Consider some of the possibilities: ABC moving from WOLO to WIS in Columbia, SC; ABC from WXLV to WXII in Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point; CBS from WKMG to WESH in Orlando; ABC from WGNO to WDSU in New Orleans. Speculation, of course, but don't think ABC, CBS, and Fox wouldn't be looking to upgrade themselves where they're weak now.

NBC Universal already has USA Network, a re-focused SyFy, and several other channels for its general entertainment purposes. This new Comcast conglom won't be making NBC 'cable only' anytime soon. Digital broadcast TV is still going to be needed for mega-events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, the Grammys, etc.
 
KeithE4 said:
KTU_Fan said:
It's the fault of Bill Clinton, George W Bush, or President Obama!!!! :)

I'll throw in Dick Cheney, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi for good measure. I blame all of 'em! ;D

Frank Stallone.
 
TheBigA said:
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...

But then, what will ESPN do with their "anti-Olympics" - you know, the "X-Games"? Kinda like how NBC invented the "XFL" after originally losing the NFL rights about a dozen years ago...
 
Nate Wesley said:
NBC Universal already has USA Network, a re-focused SyFy, and several other channels for its general entertainment purposes. This new Comcast conglom won't be making NBC 'cable only' anytime soon. Digital broadcast TV is still going to be needed for mega-events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, the Grammys, etc.

If that's the case, then rather than NBC (and the other networks) having affiliates in each market, they could just be a syndicator, contracting with local stations on a program-by-program basis and selling to the highest bidder. General entertainment programming would be distributed on cable and online.

There aren't that many "mega-events" to justify having a full-time television network in place, although that does sound like it would be deja vu Dumont-1955 all over again. The difference being that Comcast has the money to keep a part-time network going, and would probably make money if they cut NBC back to sports and specials only.
 
KeithE4 said:
Nate Wesley said:
NBC Universal already has USA Network, a re-focused SyFy, and several other channels for its general entertainment purposes. This new Comcast conglom won't be making NBC 'cable only' anytime soon. Digital broadcast TV is still going to be needed for mega-events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, the Grammys, etc.

If that's the case, then rather than NBC (and the other networks) having affiliates in each market, they could just be a syndicator, contracting with local stations on a program-by-program basis and selling to the highest bidder. General entertainment programming would be distributed on cable and online.

There aren't that many "mega-events" to justify having a full-time television network in place, although that does sound like it would be deja vu Dumont-1955 all over again. The difference being that Comcast has the money to keep a part-time network going, and would probably make money if they cut NBC back to sports and specials only.

Again - maybe in a decade, not now. First, there are too many issues still to be resolved with the immense volume of bandwidth that will be required for the new world of internet streaming. Second, whether or not the broadcast NBC network loses money as a division of Comcast, it is still a solid platform for providing programming, and still gets much higher ratings overall than cable networks or internet. Comcast would be nuts to give that up. Spin it off? Possibly. Shut it down, or make it "part time?" No way.

Everybody is so eager to brand NBC as the loser network. But 2 times in the past that I can remember, it has risen from 3rd or 4th place to become the number 1 network. If Comcast puts good creative people in charge and they develop some compelling programming, it could happen again.
 
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