Comcast-NBCU: House Judiciary To Hold Hearings

Joins House Energy & Commerce Committee in holding hearings on the acquisition

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/3/2009 6:20:52 PM

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said his committee will need to scrutinize the Comcast/NBCU deal as well.

 The House Energy & Commerce Communications Subcommittee has already said it would hold hearings on the meld.

 In a statement late Thursday, Conyers said the committee will conduct hearings "soon."

 "This proposed merger between the country's oldest broadcast network and its largest cable operator would create a global entertainment company combining content creation and distribution at an unprecedented scale," said Conyers. "A merger of this magnitude involves a complex regulatory process and heavy public scrutiny."

 Heavy public and government scrutiny is one thing foes and fans of the deal can agree on. That scrutiny is expected to take close to a year before a decision on the deal is final.