Comcast to Buy 51% of NBC, GE Goes After 49%

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Comcast to Buy 51% of NBC, GE Goes After 49%

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Friday December 4, 2009 @07:02AM from the no-matter-who-wins-the-consumer-loses dept.

An anonymous reader writes to tell us that Comcast and General Electric announced a joint venture yesterday to control NBC Universal, with Comcast coming out with the controlling interest. Comcast's hopes seem to be on succeeding in a marriage of distribution and content, where Time Warner failed. "The deal was approved by the companies' boards, and is subject to regulatory approval. GE said it expects the deal to go through in the third quarter of 2010. Congress has already said it will hold a hearing to investigate whether Comcast will gain 'undue advantages' from the deal that gives it access to programming."

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In other news... by pwnies · 2009-12-04 07:02 · Score: 4, Insightful

In other news, comcast announced today that they have a revolutionary way of throtteling high-tv viewers during "primetime" hours. While primetime was not explicitly defined (nor was "high-tv viewer"), they promised that this was in the best interest of their customers in order to ensure that everyone gets their fair share.
Seriously though, it'll be interesting to see what happens here. Ads for new NBC shows over broadband anyone?
1. Re:In other news... by cayenne8 · 2009-12-04 07:07 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  This sounds dangerous to me.
  Such a large company in charge of the content AND the delivery channel? What happens when this all consolidates into just a couple of companies with content and channels owned...and then the government has to bail them out, and take control of.....oh wait....
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
2. Re:In other news... by commodore64_love · 2009-12-04 07:59 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  In many areas, including my own, Comcast holds the exclusive government-granted monopoly to supply cable television. In many areas they also hold a government-granted monopoly over internet, which means you might end-up like this guy (he lost his net for a year):
  Never mind. I can't find the link. ----- But in brief, he was accused by Comcast in 2007 of "downloading too much data" and they turned-off his connection for a whole year. When he asked Comcast, "How much did I use?" they said they didn't know but he was in the top 10% of downloaders, therefore they have the right to turn off his connection without any warning. And no there's no appeals process.
  Monopoly.
  
  --
  "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
3. Re:In other news... by locallyunscene · 2009-12-04 08:11 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  The last mile.
Also announced... by smurphmeister · 2009-12-04 07:06 · Score: 5, Funny

Starting immediately, CBS and ABC will now only be available as pay per view for all Comcast customers!
1. Re:Also announced... by MikeBabcock · 2009-12-04 08:18 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Yawn. I can visit the antarctic and china in HD, watch plane crashes and learn about huge construction disasters, go to the bottom of the ocean and see space. I don't have the funds to do any of the things in real life that I experience while TV.
  When the local anchorperson starts coming to the front door to give me the news, I'll do that in your "real life" too.
  Get off your soap box.
  
  --
  - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
Re:whom the gods would destroy they first make mad by LOLLinux · 2009-12-04 07:15 · Score: 5, Funny

That was pretty hardcore dude. You're soooo nonconformist. Keep raging against the machine while Cheetos dust covers your neckbeard down in your parent's basement.
Slashdot: Yesterday's News... Today! by macwhizkid · 2009-12-04 07:25 · Score: 4, Insightful

Seriously, this was on the front page of every news outlet... almost two days ago. I know that there's a bit of a lag time to get things on Slashdot, but honestly, is it asking that much to post big stories the same day they happen?
1. Re:Slashdot: Yesterday's News... Today! by Sir_Lewk · 2009-12-04 08:25 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Here at slashdot we get news articles later than elsewhere because of the large ammount of background research and spellchecking the editors put into each article. You pay a price for good editing.
  
  --
  "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
This was the way it used to be... by tjstork · 2009-12-04 07:27 · Score: 5, Informative

Originally NBC was owned by the now defunct RCA. NBC was founded essentially to make content so that RCA could sell more Radios and then Televisions and all the equipment needed to create a radio and tv station. So, not only did RCA own the pipe, they had actually owned the -hardware-. Eventually GE would buy RCA in the early 1980s for the sole purpose of getting NBC. They basically kept NBC, closed RCA, but sold the logo to the French. As an Ex-RCA Employee, I still curse Jack Welch but.... in those days, the merger of RCA and GE which should have been seen as troubling was almost irrelevant as both companies were still selling tubes in the age of the transistor and Sony was really stomping up a storm.
Bottom line is, yeah, it will be a big company, but there's a lot of other media and a lot of other competition out there.
[disclosure: I live in the Philly area and, having lost the World Series to the Yankees, the thought of the NBC HQ from NYC to Philly seems like it would be really sweet. They got the team, but we get the TV].

--
This is my sig.
Comcast needs to be split up by QuietLagoon · 2009-12-04 07:34 · Score: 4, Insightful
into three separate companies:
1. infrastructure, i.e., the wire and fibre on the poles
2. ISP and phone services
3. content provider
This will allow for competition for those people who are stuck with Comcast being the sole provider.
1. Re:Comcast needs to be split up by bill_mcgonigle · 2009-12-04 08:28 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  This will allow for competition for those people who are stuck with Comcast being the sole provider.
  Why don't you get your government to stop granting monopolies instead? They caused your problem, don't ask them to try to fix it too, they'll do just as good as job.
  
  --
  My God, it's Full of Source!
  OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Did anyone consult Shinehart Wigs? by Labcoat+Samurai · 2009-12-04 07:34 · Score: 5, Funny

Wonder what effect this will have on plots in 30 Rock. Is Jack going to gun for CEO of Comcast now? That lacks the same punch.
What happens to Hulu? by midicase · 2009-12-04 07:47 · Score: 4, Insightful

Doesn't NBC partly own Hulu? Isn't Comcast's Cable system in competition with Hulu?
Re:You're missing the big picture. by commodore64_love · 2009-12-04 08:09 · Score: 4, Insightful

>>>I'm convinced that Comcast's package will include optimized delivery for NBC sites and content
"If you watch videos elsewhere, it will count towards your 250 GB limit, but videos watched on nbc.com, nsnbc.com, cnbc.com, bravo.com, usa.com, and other NBC or Comcast-owned sites will not be counted." - Future comcast update to their TOS

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall