“Staff attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division are nearing a recommendation to block Comcast Corp.’s bid to buy Time Warner Cable Inc., according to people familiar with the matter,” David McLaughlin and Todd Shields report for Bloomberg.
“Attorneys who are investigating Comcast’s $45.2 billion proposal to create a nationwide cable giant are leaning against the merger out of concern that consumers would be harmed and could submit their review as soon as next week, said the people,” McLaughlin and Shields report. “The division’s senior officials will then decide whether to file a federal lawsuit seeking to block the tie-up… It’s unclear what the FCC’s position is on the deal.”
“Comcast could still fight any lawsuit in court or attempt to reach a settlement that would let the deal go ahead,” McLaughlin and Shields report. “The antitrust division and the FCC have been studying how the potential tie-up between the nation’s two biggest cable companies could reshape the cable landscape in the U.S. Such a deal would have implications for the future of the Internet and television, affecting how and where Americans can watch programming that is increasingly being delivered on platforms other than televisions with set-top cable boxes.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So, not everyone in the U.S. DOJ’s antitrust division are brain-dead after all!
The U.S. needs more competition in the broadband Internet and cable television markets, not less.
“U.S. DOJ likely to block Comcast’s bid to buy Time Warner Cable”
Finally!
What happened to the the old “maximum one television station in any one city” rule. That was a good rule. It allowed a private company to use a valuable and powerful public resource (the airwaves) but protected the public from undue influence.
News media competition remains a joke whether or not this merger occurs. Cable/TV/Radio Stations across the country mostly parrot each other in how news is reported and delivered. True journalism seems to be going the way of the dinosaur. Tragic on so many levels.
Comcast must not have given enough payola to the Obama administration. If Comcast could find a way to provide weapons to Mexican drug cartels or oppress white voters or increase the stream of illegal immigrants, Eric Holder’s Justice Department would approve this in a heartbeat.
Nah, standing in the way of businesses doing business, ie. Regulation is this administration’s MO (so-called net neutrality). If this was up to a more business neutral House and Senate, it would fly right through. I’m of the opinion that they should just wait a few years and try again. 😉
“oppress white voters”
Wow, is that the latest sound bite? I haven’t heard that one
I’m not surprised you haven’t heard. They have a habit of trying not to mention this. In 2009, the Justice Department was called to take action against two Black Panthers who showed up armed and made threats to white voters at a Philadelphia polling place during the 2008 election. Some charges were later narrowed and most were withdrawn. Eric Holder’s refused to pursue this obvious case of white voter suppression. If you are white, you have no rights with Eric Holder in charge.
Any more examples of this?
Not this tin-hatted, much debunked nonsensory again. The fact that it was the Bush administration who originally decided to drop the charges shows just how tenuous this argument is.
Hey George, the drycleaners called. They can’t get the skid marks out of your white robe.
You got that backward. Eric Holder has given us the most racist Justice Department ever. Eric Holder and his subordinates have “racialized and radicalized” the department to the point of corruption. Holder is an Obama political hack with no interest in true justice.
Holder is the first Attorney General in U.S. history to be held in criminal contempt by the House of Representatives for refusing to turn over documents related to the gun running program, “Fast and Furious,” which provided guns to Mexican drug cartels. Holder initially denied being involved with that program until it was shown that he directly approved parts of it. He had to withdraw his responses to a Congressional investigation after it was found to be a pack of lies.
Eric Holder is a liar and a racist piece of shit. Barack Hussein Obama overwhelmingly approves of Holder which makes him the same.
Didn’t you get the memo? The Republican-controlled Congress loves Eric Holder and are keeping him in office as long as they can. They’ve had a viable replacement available since February, recommended by the Senate Committee. So it’s clear Republicans love Holder.
Don’t forget the Titanic. I’m sure Obama had something to do with that as well.
bjr001. You are either not paying attention or an idiot.
As well as every earthquake and volcano eruption anywhere in the world.
If this is true, this is a great day!
This doesn’t address the real problem, which is local governments granting cable monopolies.
-jcr
Yep, other than satellite offerings all we got as a choice is Time Warner Cable. A choice of one is no choice at all.
OTA and streaming.
You still need broadband service fer dat. I was referring to the options available before. But the times, they are a-changin’. 😉
You don’t need broadband for OTA (over the air).
“MacDailyNews Take: So, not everyone in the U.S. DOJ’s antitrust division are brain-dead after all!”
Yea, MDN only takes offense at the DOJ when they’re going after Apple; otherwise.
The reality is that because of the huge amount of infrastructure involved, there isn’t much competition for Internet providers already. Most areas only offer one or two options.
Both Comcast and ATT U-Verse, the two providers in our area have data thresholds and charge overages. My overage charge last month was $50 above and beyond my bill since we watch most TV on Netflix or HULU. And because we have 3 teenagers who all watch their own stuff, it adds up pretty quickly.
Good.
Why didn’t they stop CONcast from buying NBC/Universal or Adelphia (carved up with TWC) years ago?
The anti-trust activities of our government are a joke.
Thank God….
Just Do It DOJ ! ! !
This sick joke of a merger has gone on long enough.
Oh and here’s something else to do:
BREAK UP Comcast and Time Warner Cable, selling off the pieces to more worthy, respectful and competent companies. Imagine that. 😀
To put it simply:
Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right.