Comcast spent $3.5 million lobbying in 4th quarter

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Mar 19, 6:31 PM EDT
Comcast spent $3.5 million lobbying in 4th quarter

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Cable operator Comcast Corp. spent $3.5 million in the fourth quarter lobbying Congress on its pending acquisition of a controlling stake in NBC Universal and other issues, according to a disclosure report.

That's $420,000 more than it spent in the third quarter of 2009, when the deal to buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. was still uncertain. The transaction hinged on a decision by French media conglomerate Vivendi SA over selling its 20 percent stake in NBC, which it decided to do in November.

Comcast, which is based in Philadelphia, also lobbied Congress on retransmission consent issues, in which broadcasters have increasingly demanded cash from cable operators that wish to carry their stations. Historically, they've agreed to advertising swaps and other in-kind arrangements.

Broadcasters have been asking for cash in the face of an advertising slump facing their local stations.

These fee disputes have led to several high-profile recent incidents where broadcasters yanked - or threatened to pull - signals for certain channels, leaving customers without their favorite shows.






Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COMCAST_LOBBYING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-03-19-18-31-48

[aquart]

1. This corporation is insufficiently taxed.

No entity should be so wealthy that there is nothing left to buy but government.

[Stumbler]

2. Isn't Comcast big enough already?

It's not like they're already a virtual monopoly of non-satellite cable television providers in many metro areas...

[pinniped]

3. We got the best congrass money can buy.

.

[neverforget]

4. I had a run in with these assholes 2 weeks ago and I told them it's too

bad they had no competition and are not regulated.

[LuckyLib]

5. Too big to fail.

[joycean]

6. Oh, Comcast

How I loath this company. Where to begin.

Well, first, a company with such large control over the distribution of information should not also be granted control over a large chunk of the information itself.

Second, this is a company that has been fighting high bandwidth users for years. They have no interest in improving their infrastructure, or providing the bandwidth that customers actually pay for. (How dare you try to use the 10mbps that we promised you in the 'gold' package!)

If I moved to an area where Comcast was the only option for ISP, I would go without. Yes, internet addict that I am, I would rather quit cold turkey than deal with those bastards.

[hunter]

7. I'm glad none of that was my money.

They are up there with the rotten banks (citibank, etc.) on my list of corporations I avoid doing business with.