Sen. Rockefeller Joins Group Calling for Conditions on a Comcast-NBCU Deal
The growing scrutiny of the Comcast-NBCU merger has prompted many politicians to speak out against the potentially harmful union. Senator Jay Rockefeller joined fellow congressmen, including Rep. Henry Waxman and Sen. John Kerry, and a host of outspoken organizations by voicing his strong support for consumer protections and fair competition.
Sen. Rockefeller urged FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to thoroughly examine the proposal, citing the ability of Comcast-NBCU to impact competition and programming costs:
Simply put, a merger of this magnitude has the power to reshape the media landscape. It can change the way we communicate, change the way we share news and information, and change the nature of video entertainment.
The bottom line for Sen. Rockefeller: consumer interests can't be left behind.
I worry that a media merger of this size has the potential to leave consumers with lesser programming and higher rates.
Rockefeller's letter outlines a desire for greater scrutiny from the FCC, a sentiment matched by dozens of other consumer-rights groups, including the Communications Workers of America.
Chairman Rockefeller Letter to FCC - December 2010 (Senator Rockefeller)
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