ABC, CBS, Fox Affiliates OK Comcast-NBCU

On June 22, the ABC, CBS and Fox affiliate associations gave their blessing to the Comcast-NBCU merger with a major proviso: that the final deal include as "binding conditions" six points that the affiliate groups say are "consistent with an understanding reached with Comcast" by NBCU. The points require Comcast to not discriminate against ABC, CBS and Fox affiliates in any retransmission consent negotiations, negotiate such deals independently from NBCU and not "attempt to create a competitive advantage for an NBCU Station by discriminating against any local, in-market non-NBCU Station in favor of such NBCU Station licensed to the same market."