FCC Extends Comcast/NBCU Comment Period

Commission does not stop shot clock on merger review

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/29/2010 10:18:21 AM

The FCC has granted the request of the American Cable Association and others that it extend the comment deadline on the Comcast/NBCU merger by two weeks until Aug. 19.

That came soon after both Comcast and NBCU said they supported the request to move the deadline date from Aug. 5.

ACA and others argued that they needed the time to fully vet Comcast/NBCU's 599-page defense of the deal, which was filed July 21 but which ACA said it could not access until after that.

That will give ACA and others about the same amount of time to respond as Comcast/NBCU had to reply to the petitions to deny the merger that were filed June 21.

The FCC has not stopped its 180-day informal shot clock on the merger, according to a spokesperson.