Media coalition: Comcast merger to create power ‘unknown’ in U.S. history

A new group opposed
to the merger of Comcast and NBC Universal says regulators need to consider whether the size of the proposed deal represents a threat to the public interest.

“It is important to recognize
the sheer scope of the proposed acquisition,” the group wrote in a letter to
Congress Thursday. “The merged entity will exert a degree of power unknown
in our nation’s media history.”

Addressing House
Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Commerce Trade
and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), the
Coalition for Competition in Media points to Comcast’s status as the country’s
largest Internet service provider and cable company, and NBC’s ownership of “some
of the most heavily-visited websites on the Internet,” to make the argument that the merger could stifle competition in the media.

“The degree of concentrated
power is fundamentally threatening to the public interest,” the group wrote. “Before
allowing such a sea-change to take place, impacts must be fully studied and
understood — and the threats must be mitigated through energetic applications
of government’s regulatory authority.”

The more-than 20 member coalition announced its formation Thursday to coincide
with a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the $30 billion merger.
The groups in the coalition include Bloomberg, Free Press, Parents
Television Council, National Organization for Women, Media Access Project and
the National Association of Independent Networks.