Comcast's Growth Slows

Commission aims to block media stranglehold

(NEWSER) - Comcast should only be able to go through with its plans to buy NBC Universal if it's willing to share the media giant’s content with its competitors, according to Julius Genachowski. The FCC chairman gave his conditional approval for the merger last week, proposing a set of rules that would force Comcast to allow rival cable providers and satellite TV companies access to NBC’s content at a reasonable price. More»

Millions of American viewers could lose signal today

(NEWSER) - As the US completes the shift to digital TV today, viewers in more than 2 million households will see nothing but static, according to Nielsen and broadcasters’ estimates. Those without signals are likely to be from poorer, rural, and older demographics, the Wall Street Journal reports—though Nielsen research finds that elderly people are the "most ready," TVNewsday notes. More»

(NEWSER) - Times are tough, and for cable and satellite TV companies, that means—more porn. Comcast is following DirecTV's lead and ramping up advertising for adult pay-per-view channels, reports Advertising Age. The spots will generally run on guy channels such as Spike TV and ESPN in the wee hours. Meanwhile, the cost of the porn offerings is coming down. More»

Stock down 43%, but problems are industry-wide

(NEWSER) - With Comcast's stock price down 43% this year, a major shareholder has called for the cable operator to give CEO Brian Roberts the boot. The proposal has met a tepid response, the Wall Street Journal reports. The call for Roberts' head is premature, say analysts and investors, especially given the current industry-wide cable slump. More»

... if regulators approve pact with Time-Warner, Comcast

(NEWSER) - A new $3.6 billion deal between Verizon and three major cable TV companies is threatening to change a fierce rivalry between competitors into a partnership that critics fear would restrict consumer choice, reports the Washington Post . Mobile service, Internet, and cable TV providers have been locked in an intense battle for years, with each increasingly encroaching on the others' turf. But this deal—in which Comcast, Time Warner, and Brightline Cable would let Verizon access their unused cellphone airwaves in exchange for a "cooperative marketing arrangement"—would end that. More»