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Comments on news posted 2013-02-13 08:13:58: After acquiring a majority stake in NBC Universal for a deal worth $13.8 billion back in 2009, Comcast this afternoon announced they'd be buying GE's remainder share of NBC for an additional $16.9 billion. ..

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Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

Morac

Member

Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

This deal seals Comcast as a content provider seeing as it will own all of NBC Universal. Comcast also owns Xfinity which is a content deliverer.

What happens when deals that would benefit Xfinity (such as peering with Netflix's Open network) would result in competition with NBC Universal?
Hint: It's less competition.

wizkid6
join:2002-03-31
Opelika, AL

wizkid6

Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

quote:
Comcast also owns Xfinity

Xfinity is a brand, not a subsidiary. Comcast is the service provider, not "Xfinity."

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

Morac

Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

said by wizkid6:

Xfinity is a brand, not a subsidiary. Comcast is the service provider, not "Xfinity."

That's a nit-pick on my choice of words. My point still stands.

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

How can your point stand when it's wrong? Xfinity is not a content provider.

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

1 recommendation

Morac

Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

said by Cheese:

How can your point stand when it's wrong? Xfinity is not a content provider.

Xfinity is a content deliverer. NBC University is a content provider. Both are now Comcast. Comcast can prefer it's own content over Internet video competitors (for example Netflix) by simply excluding or simply refusing to negotiate with them.

Q.E.D.

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

said by Morac:

said by Cheese:

How can your point stand when it's wrong? Xfinity is not a content provider.

Xfinity is a content deliverer.

It's a BRAND...

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

Morac

Member

Re: Content provider + content deliverer = less competition

said by Cheese:

said by Morac:

said by Cheese:

How can your point stand when it's wrong? Xfinity is not a content provider.

Xfinity is a content deliverer.

It's a BRAND...

So are you saying that Comcast doesn't offer broadband services under the Xfinity name?

If not then I don't see what point you are trying to make other than just arguing for arguments sake.

Comcast offers both broadband services (content deliverer) as well as shows produced by NBC Universal (content provider).
EdmondsFios
join:2010-09-02
Edmonds, WA

EdmondsFios to wizkid6

Member

to wizkid6
Thank you for the clarification. It is bothersome when misstatements become fact and this takes care of that.
axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC

axus to wizkid6

Member

to wizkid6
Yep, Comcast owns the Xfinity brand. It looks like they succeeded in separating their tarnished "Comcast" brand from the "Xfinity" name.
jjeffeory
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
Bloomington, IN

jjeffeory to Morac

Member

to Morac
I thought Xfinity was a Comcast brand, not a separate company from Comcast?

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru to Morac

MVM

to Morac
Comcast was already the majority owner. Whatever it wanted to do it could already do. Nothing much changes regarding your subject line prior to this buyout or after.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Lots of cash changing hands.

Here is where all that money comes from to do the buyout:
quote:
The transactions will be funded with $11.4 billion of cash on hand, $4.0 billion of subsidiary senior unsecured notes to be issued to GE, $2.0 billion of borrowings under Comcast and/or subsidiary bank credit facilities and $725 million of subsidiary preferred stock to be issued to GE.
Morgan Stanley handled the deal. I bet they made a big chunk of change and a couple VPs will get million $ bonuses this year.

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

Re: Lots of cash changing hands.

Wow all that money for such a pile of bird quano.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 edit

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Lots of cash changing hands.

said by Transmaster:

Wow all that money for such a pile of bird quano.

Corporate leadership is rarely innovative - they all attend the same seminars by the same consulting firms. And my experience over the last 40 yrs is that they ping pong between 2 extremes based on whatever business philosophy the consulting firms are currently pushing.

On one end is the diversification philosophy - have your fingers in a lot of different pies so that if any piece of the conglomerate is down, the others will cover for the part having problems.

On the other end is the "core competency" philosophy - do ONLY what you do best and sell off or outsource the rest. Meaning an ISP should only do that and nothing else.

So Comcast is currently in the diversification philosophy which apparently is making shareholders happy. A lot of Comcast's customers and the chattering activists want them to be in a "core competency" phase.

But don't worry, eventually those in the diversification phase get to the point that they become ever more inefficient trying to manage such a large enterprise, and stockholders get unhappy at lower marginal returns. New mgt comes in and starts moving the company in to the "core competency" phase as they sell off underperforming parts of the company. The company becomes more efficient; returns improve and shareholders are once again happy.

Rinse & repeat over and over again.

Corehhi
join:2002-01-28
Bluffton, SC

Corehhi to Transmaster

Member

to Transmaster
said by Transmaster:

Wow all that money for such a pile of bird quano.

No it's a combo of many things such as the cash flowing Universal theme parks. They very well may be trying to go after NetFlix which probably isn't a good thing for the general public. Lots going on but the main thing is all these businesses need to come under one management team with out some large share holder micro managing the business(es).
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Ultimately, though, that money will come out of the pockets of Comcast's customers--many times over.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: Lots of cash changing hands.

Where else would've it come from? Comcast is a business that exists because of revenue derived from its customers.
54761437 (banned)
join:2013-01-18
Durham, NC

54761437 (banned)

Member

Re: Lots of cash changing hands.

Comcast also exists because of its far reaching ties within the mainstream media and thanks to its undoubtedly huge lobbying power in Washington. That's a quaint notion you have, though.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: Lots of cash changing hands.

Comcast exists because customers continue giving it money on a recurring basis. Its media ties and lobbying efforts merely enable it to grow. Not really a quaint notion at all.

anon guy
@charter.com

anon guy

Anon

NBC to be 1st broadcast network to go all cable

Might take 5-7 years but NBC will cease to be a broadcast network by 2020. ABC to follow by 2023, then Fox by 2025 CBS may take until 2030. Enjoy OTA while it still exists.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

Re: NBC to be 1st broadcast network to go all cable

Maybe all IP streaming? Comcast doesn't serve the entire country yet and something tells me if they only play nice with other cable providers (stiffing Telco carriers), the gub'ment won't stand for it. However, Comcast could serve the entire country if they took NBC off the air and went all IP streaming.
46436203 (banned)
join:2013-01-03

46436203 (banned) to anon guy

Member

to anon guy
Enjoy cable while it still exists.

The Internet is going to make traditional TV viewing methods extinct.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Re: NBC to be 1st broadcast network to go all cable

said by 46436203:

Enjoy cable while it still exists.

The Internet is going to make traditional TV viewing methods extinct.

And thats why there are data caps to prevent that.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: NBC to be 1st broadcast network to go all cable

said by dvd536:

said by 46436203:

Enjoy cable while it still exists.

The Internet is going to make traditional TV viewing methods extinct.

And thats why there are data caps to prevent that.

Wired data caps will fade away soon enough.

But content is not going to be given away for a song.
tcope
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT

tcope to 46436203

Premium Member

to 46436203
said by 46436203:

Enjoy cable while it still exists.

The Internet is going to make traditional TV viewing methods extinct.

No it won't... it's simply the next step to the way TV is _delivered_. TV _will_ still be delivered via cable from Comcast... it will jsut be handled via IP instead. So no real change. That is one reason Comcast is jumping on NBC... in order to stay in control of the product as well as the delivery. Product owners (studios) have control over how their content is delivered. This just keeps Comcast in control (in business).

IMHO.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to anon guy

Member

to anon guy
and lose SNF and any hope of a Superbowl. The NFL wants local teams games on OTA TV.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Re: NBC to be 1st broadcast network to go all cable

said by Joe12345678:

and lose SNF and any hope of a Superbowl. The NFL wants local teams games on OTA TV.

theres still ABC, FOX, CBS. nbc tends to be more bitstarved on events than the other networks.

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil

Premium Member

So can comcast restrict access to NBC?

If comcast wanted to make NBC exclusive to only the subscribers of it's service [like Dish did with blockbuster, verizon with Redbox], would that be allowable?

Though I'd think they'd miss out on a lot of money by doing that.
Also, that makes them owners of USA and Syfy?
eco
Premium Member
join:2001-11-28
Wilmington, DE

eco

Premium Member

Re: So can comcast restrict access to NBC?

Simple answer: no. FCC rules prevent it.

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil

Premium Member

Re: So can comcast restrict access to NBC?

Hmm, I wonder how much money Comcast would fork out to change the rules?
As they purchased the ok for the NBC purchase anyhow.

ITALIAN926
join:2003-08-16

ITALIAN926 to eco

Member

to eco
I thought those rules were lifted, thought I read a headline on this site.
zed260
Premium Member
join:2011-11-11
Cleveland, TN
Netgear R7000

zed260 to eco

Premium Member

to eco
said by eco:

Simple answer: no. FCC rules prevent it.

correct answers yes

comcast now owns nbc there are 2 options for carrying channel nbc on cable that comcast can do they can use must carry rules to require any other cable company to provide it or they can elect to charge a fee say 3 dollars for your local nbc channel

comcast owns the content the fcc give ota broadcast stations great leeway in how they use that content heck in some markets

»chronicle.augusta.com/ne ··· -station

they already took away the channel from dishnetwork briefly
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to eco

Member

to eco
also the NHL, USOC and NFL will pull the games if it goes comcast only,

That is going past NFL ST that is out of market games.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina to Snakeoil

Member

to Snakeoil
Will they do that? In other words, will they remove NBC from the air and only provide it to their customers? Possible but since Comcast doesn't serve the whole US (yet), wouldn't that be limiting the ROI on NBC content? As one example, if that were to happen, the NFL would pull Sunday Night Football from NBC. It's in the NFL's interest (and their advertisers) to make sure games with a solo time slot are viewable by as many as possible.

••••

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to Snakeoil

Premium Member

to Snakeoil
said by Snakeoil:

If comcast wanted to make NBC exclusive to only the subscribers of it's service [like Dish did with blockbuster, verizon with Redbox], would that be allowable?

Though I'd think they'd miss out on a lot of money by doing that.
Also, that makes them owners of USA and Syfy?

Other than Sunday night football, not much i watch on NBC.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Snakeoil

Premium Member

to Snakeoil
Yes and No is the correct answer.

Yes if it is a network owned station. No if it is an affiliate. Local stations are typically not owned by the network. So in the NYC market for example Comcast might be able to deny WNBC to a satellite carrier but they could not deny access to say the Hartford CT affiliate station.

As for the building in NYC, My guess is it will remain the GE Building. Because good luck getting NYC residents to call it otherwise.

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland

Premium Member

If only

If only the gubment would buy a broadcast network, then we could be sure we were getting great competition and the highest quality, truthful news.

•••••

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

I'm watching an NBC station right now

I'm watching an NBC station (WWLP-TV) right now on Comcast. I don't see any carriage disputes in the near future.

I'm sure NBC will require that it's affiliates sell Comcast retransmission rights at rock bottom prices. Now that Comcast owns the content, the profits will keep rolling in as Comcast does not need to pay NBC for carriage rights since they are now NBC.

Fortunately Comcast does not own every cable/broadband system in the country like AT&T and Bell System before 1984. State typically have a dominant cable provider like Massachusetts (Comcast with a touch of Charter), Maine (2 parts Time Warner to 1 part Comcast) and Iowa (predominantly Mediacom with a few overbuilders). Florida is predominantly Comcast.

I just found out that one of my friends from high school moved to Florida going from rural telecom cooperative territory to Comcast turf.

••••••

FarmerBob
join:2000-12-21
Littleton, CO
Calix 716GE-I
Netgear Orbi RBK853
Netgear RAXE500

FarmerBob

Member

The End is near.

It really doesn't matter how long TOA is around, there's nothing on now anyway. All the good stuff gets canceled and replaces with cheap junk. And Comcast can't make any worse programming decisions than NBC already has. Although they'll have to learn that if they want to dominate the world we'll have to like them. Oh wait, no we won't.

And the FCC will not block anything if they did not block this and all the other questionable mergers forecasted. FCC=$$$$$$$$
tkdslr
join:2004-04-24
Pompano Beach, FL

tkdslr

Member

Re: The End is near.

They already have... another 4 billion of debt.. and 11.4 billion in cash to pay for that remaining market share..

All that expense is going to have negative consequences.

I just wish the sat co's would let us unbundle OTA channels from their overpriced packages.. If not, I'll build a HTPC and reduce my monthly expenses to just a few dollars of electricity..

AlexNYC
join:2001-06-02
Edwards, CO

AlexNYC

Member

NBC's Universal Sports still not on Comcast

I never understood this: Comcast does not carry NBC's Universal Sports and they are supposed to be the same company essentially. The greedy bastards at NBC puled their programming from basic cable and OTA, so they can charge more and Comcast told them to go F themselves.

Aren't family feuds great?

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: NBC's Universal Sports still not on Comcast

Comcast only has a minority share in Universal Sports. InterMedia Partners still has the controlling share. Comcast only lends the Universal name for branding purposes. Since InterMedia ultimately control the company, they control negotiations with the cable companies.

InTheKnow
@verizon.net

InTheKnow

Anon

I can't wait to see peoples cable bills in a year or so...

I say they will go up at least 30%.
cdbma
join:2003-01-19
Bolton, MA

cdbma

Member

We've come a long way...or have we?

Remember when the feds broke up the telco "monopoly?" We've come full circle, except that now Comcast controls even more than anyone has ever before.

I'd have no beef if there was true competition, but Comcast is the only game in my town, and I expect them to continue to treat me poorly and raise my rates with impunity. After all, they have to get that $17B from somewhere!

Yucca Servic
join:2012-11-27
Rio Rancho, NM

Yucca Servic

Member

Whats next?

I think the FCC needs to step in and make sure competition still happens. Comcast has gotten to be too big of a corporation and when it comes down to it benefits and drives funds to the stockholders. The stockholders will now come first at any cost.

Very little funds they make stay in the communities they serve and create less and less quality high paying jobs.

They closed the call center in the city we live in just to save money and make it hard to deal with customer services.

It it time that the FCC needs to step up to the plate and regulate the extra large corporations just like the baby bells!

YukonHawk
join:2001-01-07
Patterson, NY

YukonHawk

Member

Re: Whats next?

More government only means more trouble!

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

These types of deals pretty much show what

will happen as the future of this country seems destined for the big boys to run it all and the consumers to have little to no choice what to buy....of course, we will be told about how this is all about "choice" and this one or two major corporations are just the downright good guys who won the free market....of course, with their millions-per-year in lobbying, rule-writing, and millions of federal tax dollars.

Orlando_Them
@comcastbusiness.net

Orlando_Them

Anon

I love universal Studio Florida

Is that going to now become history with CUMcast at the helm?

I hate the company now, I hate them even more. No on that big should own a theme park. If they operate that theme park like they operated cable TV, expect rate increases every 6 months.

OH, there will be a ticket printing fee.

Oh, an exit fee for using the exit gate.

Oh, wanna use the bathroom, sorry that option is only available in our premium tier of park tickets.

You wanna park your car? $15 rubber clean-up fee.

They will figure out how to nickel and dime us. I am done with Comcast. They are the worst company to ever exist!

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

Re: I love universal Studio Florida

SUSH! They are reading that!

Haha
@comcast.net

Haha to Orlando_Them

Anon

to Orlando_Them
You do realize that Comcast has fully owned the parks since 2011 right? »www.bloomberg.com/news/2 ··· ion.html

As has been said, this deal changes nothing. Comcast has had the majority share of NBC since 2011. It would be suicide to limit NBC. Much like Microsoft's purchase of Skype didn't see Skype limited to Microsoft products.
jeepwrang3
join:2011-02-24
North East, MD

jeepwrang3

Member

CSN Philly still going to be unshared content?

Guessing this merger still has zero impact on the ability for other subscribers to work out a deal with Comcast in regards to CSN Philly/Houston etc. Gotta love when the Sports channels were involved in the original talks, and how quickly they get forgotten about.

Madness
Like a flea circus at a dog show
join:2000-01-05
Lynn, MA

Madness

Member

Junkmail

Makes me quite sick when I receive junkmail w/ the NBC peacock above "Comcast."
NOVA_UAV_Guy
Premium Member
join:2012-12-14
Purcellville, VA

NOVA_UAV_Guy

Premium Member

Re: Junkmail

I like to think the peacock is peeing all over "Comcast"...

rememberit
@comcast.net

rememberit

Anon

This is in order to change the name of NBC to Comcast

Remember I said it now. Having worked 6 plus years at the Big C this is the beginning move to change NBC to be titled the Comcast Network. They will keep the peacock and the new corporate logo but the NBC name will be no more. The Roberts have always hated that in the beginning NBC pretty much kicked Ralph Roberts out when he came to them peddling cable. There will no longer be a need for NBC as a brand. They will have the Comcast peacock logo plastered on EVERYTHING and yes, they may take the network private in a few years and the good part is they will throw obscene amounts of money at it to make HBO/Showtime quality shows and that may actually improve the station's current lineup. Of course....once Comcast has it's own broadcast network that may tempt one of the other cable companies to buy their own private broadcast. Oh well. And to those saying television is dead I would not count Comcast and the big boys out yet. They are highly anti competitive and simply do not care that people feel their products are high priced. They are the only drug dealers in town and we are the addicts. We can cry all we want about not having the money but in the end most of us will break down and take it from something else to pay them. In addition if television ever does go down expect the price of HSI to increase to offset that amount. In the end they just care about ARPU, where it comes from means nothing.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: This is in order to change the name of NBC to Comcast

well they cannot completely eliminate the NBC name as their FCC license is WNBC.
NOVA_UAV_Guy
Premium Member
join:2012-12-14
Purcellville, VA

NOVA_UAV_Guy

Premium Member

In further news...

This guy was just promoted to lead Comcast into its brighter, more glorious future...



OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

Re: In further news...

How ironic that 30 Rock is over.....
big_e
join:2011-03-05

big_e

Member

Another reason why net neutrality laws exist

When big content owns also owns content distribution network we have a reincarnation of the studio system that was dismantled in the United States vs Parmaount Pictures Inc antitrust case.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

evolving goalposts

in the 1990s when there was much more separation of broadcast networks and cable-tv networks the congress used to talk about the ample competition (as if OTA channels and cable-tv networks would never merge).. and then hollywood & cable-tv/media giants began to buy up the networks... nbc/universal, disney/capcities/abc, united paramount network (upn bough up wwor affiliates), fox and cbs struck their own deals too..

after this you will have ALL of your media outlets controlled by 3 coporations and basically one aligned propaganda interest.. that edging out on the side of corporation greed-- to hell with the existing laws on the books about control of too much media by one interest group. the larger they become the more immune they become to the old generation's morals and laws.... those are laws for little people...

ipv5
@myvzw.com

ipv5

Anon

Exclusive content

Can Netflix restrict access to their owned content?

Can the NFL with Sunday ticket?

Where do people think this should go? Content Neutrality? Free content?
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