It was "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" Wednesday night, in more ways than one. First was the annual NBC special. Just a few hours later came an even bigger present for NBC Universal: The official announcement that it was being bought by Comcast, the country's largest cable operator, in a deal which valued NBCU at $30 billion.
Whether Comcast beats the odds and makes this corporate co-joining of content and distribution any more successful than the ill-fated AOL-Time Warner merger remains to be seen. And it's not even certain the deal will go through, given the regulatory approvals needed from Congress and the Federal Communications Commission.
Concerns are already being raised by key Congressional leaders and public interest groups about media consolidation and whether the merger would reduce the FCC and Obama administration's goal of media diversity. And it's not just consolidation concerns, but cost to consumers that worry some on Capitol Hill. Sen Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., said in a statement that he had "serious questions" about the deal. "When major media companies swell to control both content and distribution, we need to make sure consumers are not left with lesser content and higher rates," he added.
Comcast, anticipating answering these and many other questions, said in its announcement that it would "preserve and enrich the output of local news, local public affairs, and other public interest programming" on NBC's stations.
This civic spirit should help in Washington with the regulatory process, which is expected to take a year. But Comcast need not wait that long to signal it knows how to work in the public interest. It could announce today, for instance, that it will not profit by booking Tareq and Michaele Salahi - the couple accused of crashing the White House State Dinner - on "The Real Housewives of D.C.," with the capital set to be the latest locale for the popular, and profitable, reality series on Bravo, the cable network owned by NBC Universal.
The Salahis were being filmed for their possible inclusion in the show, and NBC seems to be keeping its options open, realizing ratings could rise if the couple is included in "The Real Housewives of D.C." But in the real House, Senate and FCC, symbolism matters. Of course, it shouldn't supersede the more important media merger questions that really impact viewers (and voters). But a quick, crisp statement from both Comcast and NBC Universal that neither the Salahis nor the network would profit from the stunt would be wise, as it would broadcast that cable company Comcast can go beyond the rhetoric of serving the public interest and actually act upon it.
