Comcast will sell ‘substantial’ equity stake in A&E cable network [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast to Sell ‘Substantial’ Equity Stake in A&E [Bloomberg] — “Comcast’s NBC Universal entertainment business exercised an option to sell a “substantial” portion of its equity in A&E Television Networks, owner of the Lifetime and History cable channels. “
• Senator Al Franken questions Comcast on Xbox 360 [TG Daily] — “Comedian-turned-Senator Al Franken wants the FCC to look into the way Comcast is offering streaming video on the Xbox 360.”
• Comcast offers ESPN via iPhone, iPad [Inquirer] — “Comcast Corp. made available to its cable-TV subscribers the WatchESPN service for iPhone and iPad devices, part of the TV Everywhere initiative.”
• 7 ways Comcast is killing the cable killers [Gigaom]

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Comcast adds Internet customers, loses cable subscribers, profits jump [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast reports jump in profits, revenues [Inquirer] — “Helped by Super Bowl advertising and still-surging demand for Internet services, Comcast Corp. reported a 30 percent jump in profits to $1.2 billion and a 22.7 percent boost in revenue to $14.9 billion during the first quarter”
• For Comcast, data equals big dollars [Gigaom] — “During the first quarter of 2012 (ending March 31), the company added 439,000 net new high-speed Internet customers to bring the final tally to 18.58 million”
• Comcast Falls After Reporting Video-Subscriber Decline [Bloomberg]
• Comcast’s losses in cable subscribers continue [San Francisco Chronicle] — “37,000: That’s how many cable TV subscribers Comcast lost in the first quarter.”
• Comcast Must Put Bloomberg TV Among News Channels, FCC Says [Bloomberg] — “Comcast (CMCSA) Corp. must carry Bloomberg Television near other news channels on cable systems in the 35 largest U.S. media markets, the Federal Communications Commission said today. “
• Comcast Cares Day 2012: A Day in Photos [Comcast Voices] — “67,000 Comcast employees, their families and their friends offered their time and elbow grease to nearly 650 projects in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Comcast and NBCUniversal volunteers painted schools; planted trees and gardens; cleaned up parks and trails; and beautified community centers.”

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Comcast partners with Oprah, spars with Boxee [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast Strikes Deal with OWN [Zacks] — “Comcast Corporation has recently entered an agreement with Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) to increase the viewership of the channel by making it available to existing Comcast subscribers”
• Big Media Tussles With Tiny Boxee Over the Future of TV [Bloomberg] — “The company is fighting a proposed Federal Communications Commission rule backed by Comcast Corp., News Corp. and Walt Disney Co. that would let cable operators encrypt the TV transmissions that are delivered to U.S. homes. “
• No, Comcast is not breaking the Internet…again [Cnet] — “Service that allows consumers to use their Xbox for viewing Comcast programming has prompted cries of imminent disaster for the Internet. But the service doesn’t violate FCC’s Open Internet rules.”
• From Google to Comcast, Tech Giants Are Shaping Your Home’s Smart Future [ReadWriteWeb]
• Are Amazon and Comcast Really Threats to Netflix? [Daily Finance]
• Reed Hastings Will Get His HBO Go as Comcast Nears Deal on Xbox [Media Decoder: New York Times] — “The (HBO Go) app, which offers all of the pay cable channel’s shows, movies, and documentaries, will be available to Comcast’s 22.3 million Xfinity subscribers via the Xbox as early as this week”
• Comcast Sizes Up All-IP Set-Top [Light Reading Cable]
• Comcast Corporation Names D’Arcy F. Rudnay Chief Communications Officer [Business Wire]
• Apple Doesn’t Need To Make the TV of the Future [Slate] — “The revolution is already here—and it’s called the Xbox.” Comcast has partnered to with Xbox around delivery
• Comcast targets Twin Cities’ mid-size businesses [Pioneer Press]

Comcast Xfinity TV app joins Xbox Live, won’t count against data cap [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Facebook Taps Former Comcast Exec To Head Outreach Program [National Journal]
• The technical and legal realities of Comcast’s Xbox cap spat [Gigaom]
• Xbox 360′s Comcast Xfinity TV app in beta testing, won’t count against data caps when it launches [Engadget]
• Microsoft Xbox Live to add Comcast, HBO Go today [Gigaom]
• Comcast, Verizon face critics at Senate hearing [Inquirer]
• How will Comcast ‘beat the brains’ out of Verizon FiOS? [FierceCable]
• AT&T, Comcast, Other ISPs Urged by U.S. to Step Up Cybersecurity on Home PCs [Bloomberg]

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‘Comcast, Verizon say they’re itching to fight Google, Apple’ [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast, Verizon Say They’re Itching to Fight Google, Apple [All things Digital]
• Verizon, Comcast Clash With Opponents Over Cable Spectrum Deal [PC Mag]
• First woman executive vice president at Comcast [Philadelphia Inquirer] — Cathy Avgiris
• Comcast Adds $200,000 to Club Tech Program at Boys & Girls Clubs across America  [Business Wire]
• Comcast’s Strategy Chief Calls a Power Play  [Light Reading Cable] — “Mark Coblitz, Comcast’s SVP of strategic planning, is calling on the cable industry to forge a new long-term energy management strategy as MSOs continue with their IP video migrations and shift more services and apps into the cloud, including network DVRs. “

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Comcast streaming NCAA tournament video free for customers [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast Streaming NCAA Tournament Video for Free [PC Mag]
• O3 launches national site for Comcast’s Project Open Voice [O3 Blog] — The Northern Liberties firm leads the FCC-mandated Comcast initiative to bolster local video content
• Sears spars with Comcast over blackouts [Bennington Banner] — “BENNINGTON — Comcast officials say they have taken steps to correct “miscommunication” that resulted in Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin’s January State of the State address being blacked out. “
• Comcast Launches TiVo Xfinity On Demand In April [Zatz not Funny]

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Does Comcast belong in the Dow? [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast Cable Chief Talks Sub Trends, Streampix [Hollywood Reporter] — “Neil Smit said the new streaming video service, which offers older films and TV series like Netflix, gives customers “no reason to go anywhere else.”
• Does Comcast Belong in the Dow? [The Motley Fool]
• Comcast bets big on sports [CNN Money] — “The media company raised eyebrows last year when it bid $4.4 billion to broadcast the Olympic Games. Turns out the cable guys have a plan – and they’re just getting started.”

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Comcast says it has exceeded many FCC conditions for its NBC acquisition [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

DEFINITE READS

• Comcast to FCC: We Have Met — and Often Exceeded — Merger Conditions [Reuters]
• Comcast Files First NBCU Condition Compliance Report [Broadcasting and Cable] — “Says conditions have become part of company’s DNA, and that it has overdelivered on some promises” More from the Comcast blog here.
• Comcast’s Netflix Killer Isn’t One Yet. But It Could Be. [All Things Digital]
• Comcast On Demand TiVo Integration Weeks Away [Zatz Not Funny]
• Mets Asked To Use SNY As Collateral For Comcast And Time Warner Cable Investment [Forbes]
• Q&A: Comcast’s Cathy Avgiris [Light Reading Cable] — EVP in data. H/T Philly Tech News
• Netflix CEO to Comcast: Quit the poor-mouthing (CNET News)

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Comcast launches Streampix, billed as Netflix competitor [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast launches Streampix video service [Inquirer] — Billed as competition for Netflix, which played out in stocks.
• Comcast to start new minority-owned cable channels [Wall Street Journal] — “Comcast will launch four minority-owned networks on its cable-TV systems in the next two years, including channels spearheaded by music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and NBA great Magic Johnson.” Perspective from Gawker here and more details here.

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Comcast generated $55.8 billion in 2011 revenue, beats 4Q estimates [Roundup]

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 email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• NBC Reruns on Netflix Boost Comcast’s Bottom Line [AllThingsDigital]
• Comcast subscribers almost stop canceling cable [AP via Newsday] — More on the q4 earnings
• Comcast Profit Rises on Broadband Business [Wall Street Journal]
• Kellogg, Deere, Comcast, Capital One are among big market movers Wednesday [AP via Washington Post]

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