Comcast ‘rebuffed’ Oprah Winfrey; Al Sharpton shooting for MSNBC gig: 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-NBCU Under Fire for Dragging Its Feet on Diversity [The Wrap] — Oprah Winfrey was ‘rebufffed’ by Comcast executives, sources say. H/T Philly Tech News
• Bigger Comcast beats 2Q earnings estimates, but barely [Philadelphia Business Journal]
• Versus Rebranded NBC Sports Network [AdWeek] — Comcast’s 2006-era Versus station to join NBC Sports in 2012
• Sharpton’s Push for Comcast Raises Issues About Possible MSNBC Job [New York Times] — After supporting Comcast’s bid for NBC, the possible offer of a TV host gig complicates Sharpton’s role
• NBC’s Robert Greenblatt: ‘It’s My Schedule for Better or Worse’ [Hollywood Reporter] — Comcast’s chosen man to lead NBC digs in six months into tenure
• Judge Threatens to Hold up Comcast-NBCUniversal Merger Approval [Hollywood Reporter] — Perhaps some minor modifications to the deal
• Sen. Al Franken joins call to reject AT&T/T-Mobile merger [Washington Post] — Franken was a vocal opponent of the Comcast-NBC deal
• Does Cable Have a Wireless Plan B? [LightReading] — Backup plans if investment from companies like Comcast and Sprint in Clearwire don’t profit as expected
• Comcast Launching Pac-12 Networks in Summer 2012 [Comcast blog]
• Comcast’s Bill Stemper leads journey into the enterprise market [Fierce Cable]
• Flyers founder Snider to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame [Philadelphia Business Journal] — Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider

Comcast asks employees for support in ‘Worst Company in America poll:’ 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 e-mail subscri ption for our Comcast news updates.

• Comcast Begs Employees To Vote For Charter In Worst Company In America Poll [Consumerist] — Allegedly, Comcast representatives encouraged employees, if they agreed, to vote against Comcast in this year’s annual March Madness-style public voting bracket on Consumerist to determine ‘the worst company in America.’ Last year, Comcast took the unfortunate crown.  The round one voting is here.
• Who’s Going To Buy Sprint Now? Verizon? Comcast? Google? [Silicon Alley Insider] — The Wall Street Journal cites a source as saying Comcast is not interested.” H/T PTN
• Co-Presidents to Head Up USA Channel [New York Times] — “Comcast’s NBCUniversal division is promoting two executives, Jeff Wachtel and Chris McCumber, to be the co-presidents of USA, the most-watched channel on cable television. “
• Comcast Gives Customers More Choice with Mobile Self-Service [Comcast blog] — Mobile bill pay, to add to other features
• Comcast forms diversity advisory council [phillyBurbs.com]
• Philadelphia Union adds TV partners [Philadelphia Business Journal] — ComcastSportsNet and the Comcast Network will broadcast Philadelphia Union soccer games
• Comcast government-affairs exec retires [Inquirer] — “Comcast Corp. government-affairs executive Joe Waz is retiring and will launch a consulting business, the Philadelphia cable company said today.”
• Comcast DOCSIS 2.0 Markets To See Upgrades As Comcast Pushes 3.0 Past 85% Of Their Footprint [Broadband Reports]
• Comcast Business Services Launches Indirect Channel Sales Program – Signs with Telarus, Inc. [PR Web]

70 percent increase in black owned businesses in five years: Links

• 70 percent increase in black owned businesses in Philly region from 2002 to 2007 [Daily News]
• Phila. Early Stage Venture Showcase report [Philadelphia Business Journal]
• A lot on Nutter’s plate at Phila. chamber luncheon [Philadelphia Business Journal]
• Mayor Nutter announces GlaxoSmithKline will relocate to the Navy Yard [Press release] — Later a 1,000 new jobs from Urban Outfitters at the Navy Yard was also announced
• Small-Business Credit Markets, Assessed by a Loan Broker [New York Times] — Ami Kassar, formerly of Advanta, who launched MultiFunding in 2009 answers questions
• Farewell [StoopPhilly] — On Dec. 23, Matthew J. Singer launched a consumer-friendly, real estate and development blog that looked like it could fill a role left by the vacated Brownstoner. Now it’s gone again, as Singer was offered a new opportunity, he tells Technically Philly.
• For Penn, playing the role of Goliath [Philly Inc: Inquirer] — On an economic impact report from the University of Pennsylvania
• Was Eric Schmidt Wrong About the Historical Scale of the Internet? [Read Write Cloud] “RJMetrics cofounder Robert J. Moore gets to the bottom of it.”  H/T Philly Tech News
• 2nd Philadelphia Type-in Photos [Geekadelphia] — Yah, typewriters
• ‘Philadelphia’s Cambridge’ [Philadelphia Business Journal] — On an initiative from the University City Science Center and other players to develop that stretch of Market Street into a noted innovation hub
• Pennsylvania’s New Lt. Governor Expects Expanded Role [KYW] Jim Cawley
• Northeast Philly college issues challenge: No Facebook for 30 days [Inquirer] — At Holy Family University

Comcast Roundup: FCC approves net neutrality policy and Comcast doesn’t hate it

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

• Regulators’ review of Comcast-NBC deal expected to continue into 2011 [Post Tech: Washington Post] paidContent reports that it’s a given that regulation will continue into 2011.
• FCC Pushes Through Net Neutrality—And Draws Fire From Right And Left [paidContent] — Sometimes the trouble with compromise is that neither side is very much happy.
• FCC Votes on Rules for the Open Internet [Comcast blog] SVP David L. Cohen gives a hesitant seal of approval on net neutrality policy from the FCC, though analysts suggest there is still battle to be had over whether the FCC has the authority to govern open internet policies.
• Comcast asks for limited online video conditions to merger with NBC [Post Tech: Washington Post] — “A senior Comcast executive told the Federal Communication Commission Wednesday that if the agency includes online video among conditions for regulatory approval of the company’s proposed merger with NBC Universal, those provisions should be narrowly tailored. “

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• Comcast Responds to Level 3′s FCC Filing [Comcast blog] — The company filed a letter with the FCC regarding their dispute with Level 3.
• 2011 Journalism Predictions [Nieman Journalism Lab] Bob Garfield of Advertising age, with perhaps some measure of hyperbole, suggests that in 2011 Comcast will sell NBC to IAC Chairman Barry Diller.
• African American Leadership Organizations and Comcast/NBC Universal Announce Memorandum of Understanding [Comcast blog] — On bringing in racially diverse blocs of support for the NBC merger.

WORTH NOTING

• 50 more high-def channels from Comcast [Philadelphia Business Journal]

Comcast Roundup: Senate chairman worried, House leader encouraged by NBC deal

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

• Internet issues bog down Comcast-NBC merger [LA Times]
• Comcast Tests Combo Internet-Cable Device [Wall Street Journal] — “Comcast Corp. is testing a new service that knits together television and the Internet, as the U.S. cable giant goes after rivals that threaten to undermine its business.
• Rockefeller Pans Comcast-NBCU Deal [Tech Daily Does: National Journal] — “Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller – the most powerful voice in Congress on telecom policy — told the FCC he’s worried that the $30 billion transaction could have a detrimental impact on consumers and competition.”
• Comcast getting good deal on NBC Universal, research firm Bernstein says [Philadelphia Business Journal]

Below, why Comcast should chase the Olympics, is the end of NBC regulatory approval nearing and more.

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Comcast Roundup: Advertising everywhere, executive hockey stars and More

Every Thursday morning, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup.

2009 may well be remembered as the start of the push for alternative online revenue models.

In a trial that was understandably held in Huntsville, Ala., Comcast found that viewers shown ads targeted to their tastes and demographics watched them nearly 40 percent longer than those who were fed more standard, general interest commercials, as the Associated Press reported yesterday.

According to the AP report, that means viewers can expect to see advertising in lots of new places and often beyond the traditional 30-second variety. Interactive and targeted online-like advertisements that won’t be opted-out and will appear in, say, on-demand video or channel guides.

The advertisers are coming and the coming years will bring about a more directed pitch than ever before.

After the jump, a Comcast executive ice skates his early morning away and the three other Comcast stories you ought to read.

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