Comcast's Hollow 'Public Interest' Commitments

Free Press, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of America have reviewed Comcast's memorandum outlining the company's nine-point "public interest commitments." The organizations found that none of the nine "concessions" are meaningful commitments beyond what Comcast is already doing, is likely to do anyway, or is bound to do by law. There is nothing in these commitments that assuages any of the concerns we have raised about the merger regarding reduced competition in cable television, higher cable and broadband rates, and the prospect of anti-competitive practices that will stifle emerging new media markets. Comcast would like to pretend the merger is consumer friendly. But American consumers deserve more than window dressing. On the whole, Comcast is offering almost nothing for the public with its nine-point plan. Consumers have to weigh these empty promises against the prospect of higher cable and broadband bills, less competition, and the concentration of power in one company across multiple media markets. None of the voluntary commitments address the core competition issues raised by this merger. None of the commitments address the effects of this merger on cable companies or news channels competing in local markets where Comcast already dominates the cable market and now will own one or more local channels. With significant market power in three distribution platforms — cable, broadcast and Internet — Comcast can withhold programming from competitors, raise prices with impunity, and squash competition from emerging online video outlets by starving them of content.