Comcast Roundup: 2Q earnings call with NBC effect, war brewing with ESPN over Olympics and More

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an e-mail subscription for our Comcast news updates.

DEFINITE READS

• Marketwatch reports that Comcast announced during its 2Q earnings call, the company announced profit declined by nine percent in pursuit of its NBC Universal acquisition but, as the Philadelphia Business Journal highlighted, they beat revenue projections.
• Read a transcript of the call on the Street here.
• Broadcasting & Cable reports disclosure from Comcast that NBCU conditions will continue to affect the telecommunications company’s cash flow. H/T Philly Tech News

Below, ESPN has new reason to battle, how advertising dollars could be worth $10 billion and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Calls critics of NBC deal ‘self serving,’ @ComcastCares leaves and More

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an e-mail subscription for our Comcast news updates.

DEFINITE READS

• LA Times reports that Comcast told the FCC that critics of its deal of NBC are ‘self-serving.’
• The New York Post reports that in a court filing Comcast calls itself the fourth largest media company in terms of advertising and affiliate revenue if the NBC deal would go through.
• Variety reports on the filing saying that Comcast portrays its acquisition of NBC as an opportunity to stimulate, not stifle, competition.

Below, the man behind @ComcastCares is leaving, Google bumps its lobbying budget to fight on net neutrality and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Agreement with CBS, ABC and Fox, the Trail Blazers object and more

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an e-mail subscription for our Comcast news updates.

DEFINITE READS

• Updated  7/9/10 @ 9:04 a.m.: The Los Angeles Times reports that Comcast has promised $20 million in investment capital for minority-owned businesses as a condition of its deal for NBC.
• Los Angeles Times Company Town blog reports that Comcast has reached an agreement with CBS, ABC and Fox stations over its proposed acquisition of NBC, hoping to eas regulatory approval.
• A Forbes blog speculates on why Netflix should be an $82 stock, comparing it with Comcast.
• Visiting Princeton University Law Professor Susan Crawford writes on her blog about a Comcast-NBC deal public filing from NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, who reported the organization fears further consolidation would allow Comcast unfair control for local sports.
• The Huffington Post has a piece on net neutrality and how Comcast inspired one activist for the cause.

Below, net neutrality lobbyists, Comcast works with the Banana Republic on ‘Mad Men’ wear and more.

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Comcast Roundup: NBC review stalls, DirecTV and Dish call for CSN and More

DEFINITE READS

• The Hill reports that the FCC has again stopped the ‘time clock’ on the Comcast-NBC acquisition review, asking that NBCU resubmit its filings. H/T Philly Tech News
• DirecTV and Dish Network have filed formal requests for access to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, after a January court decision compelled Comcast to stop limiting carrying the channel and its exclusive sports programming.

Below, a major move from Hulu, a sports content sharing agreement and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Aol wants confidential files, quiet concerns on NBC deal and more

DEFINITE READS

• WebNewser reports that Aol has requested to see confidential documents involved in the public filing from the Comcast-NBC acquisition.
• The New York Times reports that local TV broadcasters have resigned to ‘quiet concerns’ with the NBC deal, worried about its impact but fearful of disrupting their own negotiations with the cable giant.
• The Wall Street Journal reports that Comcast rivals ‘flooded’ Monday’s call for public comment on the NBC deal.

After the jump, David L. Cohen hits the company blog, Comcast SportsNet buys another local sports blog and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Accusations of bribery in NBC lobbying, field hearings and more

DEFINITE READS

• The L.A. Times reports that U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) received an improper lobbying call from Comcast, implying a bribery offer — Comcast denies the allegation — and, as the Inquirer points out, one Congressman likened Comcast to a ‘plantation.’
• The Inquirer reports that a letter supporting the proposed NBC acquisition that was signd by 15 of 18 Pennsylvania Congressional representatives was authored by Comcast lobbyist and former Sen. Arlen Specter chief of staff David Urban.
• Businessweek reports that Comcast pledges to add at least three cable networks with minority ownership after taking over NBC Universal. H/T Philly Tech News
• The Inqy also reports that some 70 Congressional representatives have formed something of an alliance calling for more public discourse on the acquisition.

Below, David L. Cohen on Monday’s NBC field hearing, competing with Google TV and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Brian Roberts checking Manhattan real estate, Time Warner comparisons and more

DEFINITE READS

• NewTeeVee dives into research analysis comparing Comcast to Time Warner Cable, another giant that became a media behemoth in a less-than-perfect merger.
• MarketWatch details the paywall-protected reporting from the Wall Street Journal that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is shopping a $7-$12 million Manhattan condominium. …It’s either a place to rest after dropping in on his prospective NBC subsidiary or a way to contrast the Center City condo he should get instead.
• Ars Technica goes deeper into U.S. Senator Herb Kohl D-Wisc. and his call for Comcast to pull out of Hulu ownership via NBC within a year of the merger in order to earn government approval. H/T Philly Tech News

Below, an LA NBC regulatory meeting, supporting Philadelphia boosterism and more.

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Comcast: Launching social networking site Turnerfish, a call to drop Hulu and More

DEFINITE READS

• Businessweek reports that in the coming weeks Comcast will unveil a beta version of a social networking service focused on allowing users to share their TV and Internet video watching. The service is currently called ‘Turnerfish.’
• Politico reports that 78 former government officials, including former congressmen, staffers and others, have been registered as Comcast lobbyists in the final quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010, in a blitz to push forward its move to purchase a majority stake in NBC Universal. H/T Philly Tech News

Below, we bet you can guess what three governors are leaning on approval of the Comcast-NBC deal, another round of Google-Comcast rivalry brewing and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Due to battle movie theaters, the man to review NBC and more

Updated 5/21/10 @ 12:08 p.m.: Lobbying as percentage of revenue

DEFINITE READS

The Los Angeles Times profiles Bridget Baker, the NBC executive who negotiates with cable distributors, like Comcast, to secure distribution rights.

The New York Times reports on an FCC ruling supporting a move to allow movie distributors to sell early release feature films via on-demand services, a process that could pit Comcast against movie theaters.

Below, the man who will lead the NBC deal regulation, video interview on the 4G market and more.

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Comcast Roundup: FCC defends right to regulate, new iPad device and More

DEFINITE READS

• Variety editorializes that Comcast has much to learn about the content world that NBC ownership would drag them into, but “is looking better all the time.”
• The Hill reports that nearly the entire Pennsylvania Congressional delegation supports the Comcast-NBC deal.
• The Inquirer’s Joe DiStefano reports on the ‘chaos’ that analysts predict will come from the FCC’s plan to regulate broadband Internet services, plans to defend so-called ‘net neutrality’ policies.
• The Washington Post reports that cable stocks took a beating because of it — and that the FCC has gone on something of a campaign to assert it does still have authority over cable broadband policy despite a recent appeals court that went in Comcast’s favor.
• With all humility, Technically Philly has a lengthy Q&A with Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen on the company’s relationship with Philadelphia and his views on the region.

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