Concerns About Comcast-NBC

[Commentary] With technology changing Americans' media experience at breakneck speed, it might seem quaint to worry about the merger of an old-style cable company with a beleaguered broadcast TV company. But there is much to be concerned about in Comcast's proposed takeover of NBC and its sister company Universal Studios. The pairing of the nation's largest cable company with one of the leading television broadcasters, which also owns several popular cable networks, could limit choices and raise prices for viewers and advertisers. As they evaluate the proposed merger, antitrust and communications watchdog agencies should also consider the risks to the emerging business of delivering video entertainment over the Internet — the main competitive threat to cable TV. Regulators might demand that the merged companies divest stations. They could also require that Comcast's network carry content from independent cable channels. Online, regulators could demand that the company offer unbundled Internet content, and ensure that it is made available to consumers regardless of whether they buy cable or broadband services from Comcast. What regulators must not do is let this deal pass unchallenged. The risks to the development of the new media industry are too significant to simply ignore.