Coalition wants another hearing on Comcast-NBCU merger

A coalition of advocacy groups and companies opposed to Comcast's proposed acquisition of NBC Universal wrote key lawmakers reiterating their objections and requesting a final hearing to allow the public to weigh in on the deal once more.

The Coalition for Competition in Media, which includes Bloomberg, the Media Access Project, the National Organization for Women and the Writers Guild of America, claims the merger would limit choice for consumers and give Comcast unprecedented influence as one of the nation's largest cable providers and the owner of one of the four broadcast networks. In a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Commerce committees, the coalition argues the Comcast merger has prompted thousands of filings in opposition to the merger since the last hearing, which have added "new dimensions to the discussion." The groups also argue that any decision made by the government on this merger would likely establish precedent for similar transactions down the road.