CWA, broad coalition raise concerns on Comcast-NBC mega-merger

A broad coalition of industry, labor, and public interest organizations, including CWA, has written a letter to President Obama and Congress expressing grave concern over Comcast's proposed merger with NBC-Universal.

The issue is uniting groups from different ends of the political spectrum, who see the merger as a disaster for both consumers, workers and businesses.

"Groups that seldom work on the same side of an issue agree that the merger of media giants would only hurt the media landscape and further diminish independent content and voices," said Free Press Policy Counsel Corie Wright. "Both conservative and liberal groups fear that this media mega-merger would result in even less diverse programming than we have now."

The letter enumerates only some of the many problems that would accompany the merger of the nation's largest cable company (and the largest residential broadband provider) with a major television network and film studio.

The new Comcast would have the incentive to discriminate against other cable and video providers by denying them NBC-Universal content. In addition, the resulting television network would have the opportunity to prioritize Comcast products over their competitors in a venue that should give them equal footing.

Translation? Less competition, fewer content choices, higher cable bills, and an increasing number of independent voices pushed out. Talk about more of what we don't need.

"The proposed deal raises the most basic antitrust and public policy issues for an administration that has declared both the importance of media diversity and an intention to be more vigilant against anticompetitive conduct and abuses of market power," the letter states.

"We ask that you take a hard look at this merger and take the necessary measures to prevent harm to both consumers and competition."

Letter to President Obama and Congress (PDF)

Proposed Comcast-NBC Universal Deal Raises Serious Anti-Trust Concerns (CWA)