FCC Pauses Shot Clock on Comcast/TWC

The FCC has extended the comment deadline for input on the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger to at least Oct. 29 and stopped the informal shot clock on the deal, saying that Comcast's 850-page reply to its critics includes new information that will take longer to peruse and adding that Comcast's Sept. 11 reply to a follow-up data request was not complete and the materials remain outstanding.

“It is routine for the FCC to pause the review of significant transactions as it works to create a full record (this happened in our prior transactions as well)," Comcast said in a statement. "We will work with the staff to determine the additional information the FCC is seeking (including the document production that the FCC had asked us to delay filing) and will submit supplemental answers and documents quickly thereafter so that the FCC can complete its review early in 2015.”

Dish had sought an extension and Comcast and TWC had opposed it.

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John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.