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The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday gave Comcast Corp., the country's largest cable company,
the green light to take over NBC Universal, home of the NBC
television network.


      Four of the commission's five members voted to let Comcast buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. for
$13.8 billion in cash and assets. Michael Copps, one of the
commission's three Democrats and an opponent of media
consolidation, voted against the deal.


      The deal was still awaiting Justice Department approval, which
was expected later Tuesday.
 
     With the transaction certain to transform the entertainment
industry landscape, regulators are attaching conditions to prevent
Comcast from trampling competitors once it takes control of NBC's
vast media empire.


      Among other things, the FCC is requiring Comcast to make NBC
programming available to competitors including rival cable
companies, satellite operators and new Internet video services that
could pose a threat to Comcast's core cable business. Regulators
want to ensure that emerging online video platforms being developed
by companies such as Netflix Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc.
can get the movies and shows they need to grow - and potentially
offer a cheaper alternative to monthly cable subscriptions.
 

     Philadelphia-based Comcast has about 23 million cable TV
subscribers and nearly 17 million Internet subscribers. It also
owns a handful of cable channels, including E! Entertainment and
the Golf Channel, and has a controlling interest in the
Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers sports teams. Comcast's SportsNet
Philadelphia channel carries Flyers, Phillies and 76ers games.
   

   Taking over NBC will transform the company into a media
powerhouse. NBC Universal owns the NBC and Telemundo broadcast
networks; 26 local TV stations; popular cable channels including
CNBC, Bravo and Oxygen; the Universal Pictures movie studio and
theme parks; and a roughly 30 stake in Hulu.com, which distributes
NBC and other broadcast programming online.
      

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The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday gave Comcast Corp., the country's largest cable company,
the green light to take over NBC Universal, home of the NBC
television network.


Comcast wins FCC approval to take over NBC Universal

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