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FCC Grants Approval of Comcast-NBCU Transaction

News release: “Today, the Federal Communications Commission grants—with conditions and enforceable commitments—approval of the assignment and transfer of control of broadcast, satellite, and other radio licenses from General Electric Company (GE) to Comcast Corporation. The approval will allow GE and Comcast to create a joint venture involving NBC Universal, Inc. (NBCU) and Comcast. An Order further explaining the Commission’s reasoning and the conditions and commitments will be issued shortly. The Commission’s decision is based on a thorough review of the record, which includes extensive data and voluntary commitments from the applicants, as well as thousands of comments from interested parties and public input received at a public forum held in Chicago. Based on this review, the Commission has determined that granting the application, with certain conditions and contingent upon enforceable commitments, is in the public interest.”

  • Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney Holds Briefing on Comcast/NBCU Joint Venture, Washington, D.C. ~ Tuesday, January 18, 2011: “First, the joint venture has agreed to license its programming to online distributors under either of two scenarios. Comcast has agreed to license NBCU content to online distributors that have obtained distribution agreements with one of NBCU’s peers. In addition, the settlement permits online distributors to step into the shoes of a traditional MVPD competitor and license a full linear feed from NBCU. These licensing requirements ensure that those innovative firms that want to enter the market to compete for consumers’ business will have a fair opportunity to do so, unimpeded by the joint venture.”
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