A3N 1002 Posted October 1, 2009 Posted October 1, 2009 Rumor has it that Comcast has been in talks to purchase NBC Universal from G.E. and some websites are reporting that a deal is in place. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/30/comcast-in-talks-to-buy-n_n_305688.html Take it for what it's worth, but if this is true then hopefully they'll can Zucker and Immelt and turn things around.
WAVY 10 Fan 233 Posted October 1, 2009 Posted October 1, 2009 As long as Zucker, Immelt and the rest of the clowns running things at NBC get canned, I wouldn't have much of an issue of WHO bought them.
swillh2k2 205 Posted October 1, 2009 Posted October 1, 2009 Aside from NBC itself, a deal like this would be of huge, long-term benefit to the Versus network (owned by Comcast). Having the resources of NBC Sports backing Versus could finally put a cable station in serious competition with ESPN--they would have an opportunity to become a partner in NBC's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics (potentially NBC's last), as well as cross-promote their NHL coverage with NBC as well as the NHL Network (which Comcast owns as a joint venture with the league).
caliwxdude 254 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Well, after thinking that this deal was as good as dead, the Wall Street Journal comes along and stirs the pot up once again. GE, Comcast Reach Agreement on Valuing NBC Universal BY SAM SCHECHNER AND JEFFREY MCCRACKEN General Electric Co. and Comcast Corp. have settled on how to value NBC Universal now and in the future, clearing a key obstacle to giving Comcast control of GE's television and movie company, according to people familiar with the matter. After weeks of wrestling, both sides have agreed to value NBC Universal in the neighborhood of $30 billion, people close to the talks said. The agreement includes a mechanism that could reduce the cash Comcast would have to kick in when the deal closes, two of those people said. Of course, the rest of the article is available only to WSJ subscribers, but I suspect we'll be seeing more about this emerging in the morning. I'm so sick and tired of seeing NBC Universal be ran straight into the ground at the hands of GE, so please, oh regulatory gods at the FTC, let this happen.
TennTV1983 810 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 I'm hoping that this deal goes through as well. Jeff Zucker has done a poor job righting this sinking ship that is NBC, and it's not like management at Comcast could do any worse than he has done.
A3N 1002 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Posted November 9, 2009 I hope that feds approve the sale with the condition that Comcast either sells or spins off the NBC network and its O&O's.
swillh2k2 205 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 I hope that feds approve the sale with the condition that Comcast either sells or spins off the NBC network and its O&O's. That would defeat the purpose of the sale...
A3N 1002 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Posted November 9, 2009 Comcast wants to buy NBC Universal mostly for the cable properties. I highly doubt that they are too interested in the NBC network itself or its O&O's.
mre29 1572 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Couldn't they own the network but sell the O&O stations?
TennTV1983 810 Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 Couldn't they own the network but sell the O&O stations? That's like saying Viacom (when they still had CBS) or Walt Disney (ABC) should divest their O&O stations. But then again, Disney never owned a cable company (although Comcast wanted to buy Disney years earlier).
mre29 1572 Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 That's like saying Viacom (when they still had CBS) or Walt Disney (ABC) should divest their O&O stations. But then again, Disney never owned a cable company (although Comcast wanted to buy Disney years earlier). So you're saying NBC should always have O&O stations no matter who owns the network?
TennTV1983 810 Posted November 11, 2009 Posted November 11, 2009 So you're saying NBC should always have O&O stations no matter who owns the network? I thought that had always been the norm for over-the-air broadcast networks regardless of the owner. Just saying. Prepare to cringe on this one: http://www.reuters.com/article/euMergersNews/idUSN1051243320091110 Seriously. Why, Comcast, would you keep the guy who practically killed the network you're trying to buy at the helm?
WAVY 10 Fan 233 Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 Seriously. Why, Comcast, would you keep the guy who practically killed the network you're trying to buy at the helm? And not just keep him, but retain Zucker as the main man???
jero23 105 Posted November 15, 2009 Posted November 15, 2009 Honestly, after NBC Universal dumped all its Sunbelt and Columbus, OH O&Os in growing markets with the exception of KXAS & WTVJ, I stopped caring. As I've said weeks ago, Raleigh/Durham (WNCN) is now ranked higher than 2 of the markets where they still have O&Os, so they lets you know how stupid they are over there. NBCU is ran by a bunch of lost idiots that doesn't know growth potential if it was slammed acrossed their heads. So if the remaining NBC O&Os gets spun off to anybody, all I have to say is good luck to them surviving the storm. Zucker should have been canned years ago, but stupidity and nepotism rules over at NBCU. Hence why NBC is dead last amongst major networks (and now the CW doesn't count since it's not a major).
WAVY 10 Fan 233 Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 http://www.cnbc.com/id/34225581 All done but the shouting, I guess.
stevieboy247 43 Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 I don't mean to bring this up, but I wonder what the sale will mean for the networks headquarters at 30 Rock. Perhaps the picture that I edited will speak for itself.
TennTV1983 810 Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 I don't mean to bring this up, but I wonder what the sale will mean for the networks headquarters at 30 Rock. Perhaps the picture that I edited will speak for itself. I don't think we should expect any changes over at 30 Rock (since GE would still own 49% of the network), unless Comcast decides to move some of NBCU's operations to Philadelphia.
Geoffrey 876 Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 NY Times' Brian Stelter reports that getting rid of the NBC name isn't out of the question: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/comcast-could-drop-the-nbc-name/ Really?? I think there's too much history there. Unless they mean the overall name like "NBC Universal" and not the name of the network...
WAVY 10 Fan 233 Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 NY Times' Brian Stelter reports that getting rid of the NBC name isn't out of the question: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/comcast-could-drop-the-nbc-name/ Really?? I think there's too much history there. Unless they mean the overall name like "NBC Universal" and not the name of the network... THAT would be insane!
tw-804 194 Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 Zucker just signed a 3-year contract. http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/12/11/jeff-zucker-signs-new-three-year-contract/
stevieboy247 43 Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 Zucker just signed a 3-year contract. http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/12/11/jeff-zucker-signs-new-three-year-contract/ Well that sucks!!! I was hoping the network would give him the boot.
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