Small Cable Ops: We're Not Looking To Delay Comcast/NBCU Deal

Executives with the American Cable Association (ACA) said they all expect the Comcast/NBCU deal to be approved by the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission, and by the beginning of next year.

ACA President Matt Polka said that they were not looking to delay the deal, which he said would likely be approved "sometime soon," only to make sure it had conditions that ameliorated the possible harms to its members and customers. Polka said he expected the FCC would implement those conditions, which include requiring smaller operators be charged no more than a "clear market-based rate" for the regional sports nets and NBC O&O's owned by Comcast, as well as allowing a bargaining agent to negotiate collectively for national programming networks and use baseball style arbitration. If the FCC does that, he said it would "significantly address" his members' concerns.