Hinchey: Block That Deal!
New York congressman, five other members send letter to Attorney General and FCC calling for Comcast/NBCU deal to be blocked
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/4/2010 6:03:07 PM
As if Comcast and NBCU executives didn't have enough with getting roughed up by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) in a Senate Antitrust Subcommittee hearing vetting their proposed merger, at about the same time a sextet of Dems led by Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) was firing off a letter to the Attorney General and FCC Chairman calling on them to block the deal entirely.
According to a copy of the letter, they said that the deal would be more consolidation, less choice, and higher cable bills, the last a point hammered on in the Senate hearing.
"This merger would further limit the American people's access to a wide array of information and broadcast content that is inherently necessity for a properly functioning democracy," said Hinchey in announcing the letter. "The Comcast-NBC Universal deal must be blocked for the good of the American people."
Also signing onto the letter were Donna Edwards (D-MD), John Olver (D-MA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY).
Despite the loud criticism, at least one of its loudest critics, the American Cable Association, thinks the deal will likely go through. The more likely battleground is not an up or down vote by either FCC or Justice, but what conditions will be applied in addition to the ones Comcast has voluntarily agreed to.
The company added a new one Thursday, saying it would adhere to program access rules as a condition of the deal even if those rules were thrown out by the courts. Comcast has challenged the FCC conclusion that such rules are still needed, citing the rise in competition the rules were intended to foster.
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As I said before, the Sirius XM merger is proof that a merger results in more fees for users and outright 'lies to the FCC' on promises made and not kept by the new merged company (Sirius has had 18 months to provide 'free' minority channels 4%+4% of bandwidth) and nothing yet.
Ivan Dixon, Jr. - 2/8/2010 12:01:44 PM EST -
The so-called 'merger' of Sirius & XM (hostile take-over of XM actually) has resulted in the higher 'add-on fees', extra cost for multiple receivers, extra cost for once free internet feed, and the extra RIAA fee that they now pass-along, all while maintaining that the basic sub cost has not changed. In addition, the quality has lowered as all XM personnel were fired, and Sirius agreed to give 8% of their bandwidth for 'free' to subscribers and to lease out 8% for minority use - 2 years later, and still NOT ONE 'free' station - I expected at least some Spanish Music format, but not even that. Based on how Sirius has abused their longtime customers, I expect no less from Comcast and NBC/Universal - worse service, more cost, and not keeping promises made to the FCC (like the Sirius 8% minority rule).
Ivan Dixon, Jr. - 2/8/2010 11:58:57 AM EST
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