NBC Affils Bless Comcast-NBCU Union

Cable giant agrees to stay committed to over the air TV, keep retrans and affiliate agreements separate

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/18/2010 2:13:54 PM

After some tough negotiating over key points with Comcast in Philadelphia, the NBC affiliates have issued a thumbs-up on the pending Comcast-NBC merger, in the form of a letter the affiliates association will file June 21.

The FCC is asking for public comments on the merger, with a deadline of Monday.

NBC affiliates board chairman Brian Lawlor and past chairman Michael Fiorile were the affiliates' point-people on the negotiations, meeting with Comcast COO Stephen Burke, among others. The affiliates wanted assurances that Comcast would remain committed to over the air television, and would keep the same amount of sports programming on NBC and not shift it to cable.

"It gives us and the public interest some protections that I think are needed," says NBC affiliates board chairman Brian Lawlor, who's senior v.p. of TV at Scripps.

 

Perhaps most crucial, the affiliates wanted what one insider termed a "firewall" between retransmission consent negotiations and affiliate renewals if and when Comcast takes over. "That way, we can negotiate each thing without recourse," said Lawlor, of Comcast's cable and, potentially, broadcast interests.  

Networks such as CBS and ABC are pushing affiliates for retrans cash as part of their affiliation agreements, and some affiliates are pushing back. The NBC affiliates are adamant about keeping the issues separate.

Comcast worked out a deal with General Electric to acquire a 51% stake in NBC Universal late last year. The deal is awaiting regulatory approval.

When the merger was ironed out, NBC affiliate GMs were mostly pleased with the prospect of a new parent, hoping Comcast would help NBC's slumping primetime.

One NBC affiliates board veteran said Comcast and the affiliates mostly see eye to eye. "We've got a signed agreement for all the safeguards we're pursuing," he said. "We'll be supportive of the merger."

 

The affiliates board will discuss the Comcast update with the nation's NBC affiliates on a conference call this afternoon.

 

Lawlor said he emerged from the Philly meetings feeling as though the affiliates' concerns are taken to heart by Comcast. "I have a comfortable feeling that the things that are of most concern to us will be secured with these conditions," he said.