Fuzzy picture for Comcast-NBC deal

Is Comcast betting the farm to own a slumping NBC broadcast-TV network, a movie studio, and a dozen highly profitable cable-TV stations that include Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen channel? Could Comcast's plunge into Hollywood entertainment lead to big problems at the steady cable-TV giant and nationwide employer of 100,000 workers? The strategy of Comcast and chief executive Brian L. Roberts seems to position the Philadelphia company for the eventual end of the modern fast-growth cable era. The cable-TV growth rate has slowed dramatically because of satellite and telephone companies entering the pay-TV business. High-speed wireless companies could pluck cable-TV customers from Comcast's subscriber base. Comcast seems to believe that, ultimately, content will matter more than its manner of delivery. It has wooed NBC Universal with singular determination, offering a $30 billion proposal. It's both a stab at new growth and a hedge against a decline in cable TV, many believe.