$20 billion racial discrimination lawsuit filed against Comcast, Al Sharpton

[Blue_Tires]

In the midst of a coming FCC decision about the proposed merger between telco giants Comcast and Time Warner Cable, a group has filed a $20 billion lawsuit alleging that the two companies discriminate against black-owned media companies by simply not carrying them.

The National Association of African-American Owned Media filed the suit in California last week, echoing their actions against DirectTV and AT&T from late last year. Comcast, however, is not the only defendant targeted — MSNBC show host Al Sharpton and various advocacy groups were named in the suit as well.

The suit alleges that TWC and Comcast intentionally avoid picking up networks that are fully owned by African Americans, and that allowing the two to merge would only compound the problem. Via the Hollywood Reporter:

According to the lawsuit, Comcast and TWC "collectively spend approximately $25 billion annually for the licensing of pay-television channels and advertising of their products and services, yet 100% African American-owned media receives less than $3 million per year."


At the time of Comcast's 2010 acquisition of NBCUniversal, Comcast entered into memoranda of understanding with the NAACP, the National Urban League and the National Action Network, but the lawsuit says the voluntary diversity agreements are "a sham, undertaken to whitewash Comcast’s discriminatory business practices."

The suit goes on the allege that the only “fully owned black-channel” Comcast has is the Africa Channel, which former NBCU/Comcast exec Paula Madison owns. Madsion, the suit says, was involved directly in “obtaining government approval for the Comcast acquisition of NBC Universal, thus creating a serious conflict of interest.” And, what’s more, the suit claims that Al Sharpton accepted $3.8 million through his National Action Network to help put a good face on the NBC Universal acquisition.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/trending/20-billion-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-filed-against-Comcast-Al-Sharpton.html#DlfBs30QBeGSCdTq.99