Group Links Programming Dispute Problems To Comcast Merger

A coalition opposed to Comcast's proposed merger with NBC Universal is now arguing that the current broken federal process for resolving disputes between independent programmers and television distributors will not be able restrain the new combined company from discriminating against independent cable networks.

In its latest letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski on the merger, the Coalition for Competition in Media said the incentive Comcast already has to discriminate against independent content that competes with its own will only grow if the cable operator is allowed to merge with a major content provider like NBCU, which owns the NBC network, a major Hollywood Studio and several cable channels. The coalition includes a broad range of groups and companies such as the public interest group Free Press, financial news provider Bloomberg, the National Coalition of African American Owned Media, and the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association.

"Unaffiliated networks often lack the leverage that larger integrated programmers use to secure fair pricing and channel placement--a lack of leverage Comcast has long viewed as a business opportunity," the coalition wrote. "This merger will only enhance those incentives, sharpen the ability and increase the universe of non-Comcast-owned programming that will suffer the consequences. The end result will be decreased consumer choice and less diversity of important content, such as news and information."

The group also argued that the current process for resolving disputes between independent cable channels seeking carriage on cable systems has been unable to resolve some ongoing complaints filed against Comcast by the Tennis Channel and WealthTV.