FCC to OK NBC deal
Joint venture with Comcast would come with fair-access requirement
WASHINGTON – The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission signaled support Thursday for Comcast’s bid for majority stake in NBC Universal, but with conditions to ensure the combined media giant plays fair with competitors and doesn’t stifle the nascent market for online video.
Senior FCC officials wouldn’t detail the conditions but said they are meant to ensure that rival pay-TV services such as DirecTV or AT&T get fair access to NBC programming.
The officials said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is also seeking to ensure that online video sites, which could pose a threat to Comcast’s cable TV franchise, are not harmed by the deal. That could mean a requirement that NBC content not be unfairly withheld from Web TV upstarts such as Netflix or Apple.
Genachowski on Thursday began circulating his order seeking conditional approval of the deal to other members of the five-member commission, which is expected to vote early next year. The Department of Justice must approve the takeover on antitrust grounds as well.
The FCC is expected to approve the deal, with conditions, early next year.