Comcast/NBC merger: should FCC require network neutrality?

In comments about the proposed Comcast-NBC merger filed at the Federal Communications Commission, Public Knowledge says that it doesn't like the merger, but can see it moving forward under various conditions... like network neutrality.

"The Commission must impose strict non-discrimination rules that prevent the [new] entity from interfering with the distribution of non-affiliated content through filtering, blocking, or degrading distribution. The growth of Internet distributed content should not be stifled simply because the newly formed entity would prefer consumers continue paying for its MVPD [multi-channel video program distribution] service." Comcast's ability to control users' access to content means that it can unfairly discriminate against non-NBCU content," PK warns, "either by refusing to connect users to the online video content of established competitors, or, more likely, simply de-prioritizing or throttling the bandwidth available to these competitors versus NBCU content." But the group doesn't just want "strict non-discrimination rules" attached to the new entity. The government should also require it to provide wholesale broadband access to unaffiliated Internet Service Providers. In other words, line-sharing, which cable companies have never been required to offer.