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.

• Business Week reports on the persistent claim that Comcast may have to sell of NBC TV stations or agree to an independent arbitration settle pricing disputes if the cable giant wants its deal to meet regulatory approval.

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• Frank Eliason, the noted @ComcastCares blogger, announces he’s leaving the company for a new opportunity. (Expect more on this from Technically Philly.)
• The Washington Post reports that the FCC has criticized the speed with which broadband has been deployed nationally, a claim that has no surprise drawn the ire of telecommunications companies like Comcast.
• Light Reading reports that Comcast is making a national push to be a ‘major player in the enterprise and mobile backhaul markets.” H/T Philly Tech News

GIVE A GLANCE

• Bloomberg News reports on a 50 percent bump in Google’s lobbying budget in the first half of 2010, largely due to its battle on net neutrality issues with Comcast and other ISPs.
• USA Today reports on a split among fans for the next choice to be the manager of the Cubs baseball franchise, with the local Comcast Sports Net website poll apparently playing a heavy roll.
• The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Comcast is going to add the Ski Channel to its On Demand programming — finally.

When there is just too much Comcast news to follow, the Comcast Roundup will be there every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST

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.

After the jump, Comcast and Brian Roberts are everywhere at the 2010 Cable Show and more.

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• The Associated Press reports that NBC Universal will sell one of its three Los Angeles stations, ahead of Comcast facing regulatory approval.
• paidContent reports that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts called not moving content early enough a major regret.
• The London Free Press of Canada reports on the shuttering of “gem” IT company TVWorks, which is owned by Comcast, to bring the work to Philadelphia and California. This is the local angle on a previously reported story.
• The Los Angeles Times reports that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said people “love to hate” the cable industry, despite the impact it’s had on society.

GIVE A GLANCE

• The AP reports that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts pledged he would not interfere in the editorial decisions of NBC.
• The AP also reports that Comcast will start carrying the new ESPN 3D channel starting in June.
• The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Comcast is launching 50 new HD channels on its systems in parts of North, West and northwest Philadelphia.
• At the 2010 industry Cable Show in Los Angeles (after making a big splash last year), Comcast and CEO Brian Roberts unveiled a remote cable box device for the iPad, to much fanfare. Watch Roberts introduce it below. See other Comcast sessions here and watch a full-length conversation with Roberts at the Cable Show by way of the Comcast company blog here.

• Philly Tech News compared Comcast at the Cable Show to other industry tech events.

When there is just too much Comcast news to follow, the Comcast Roundup will be there every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST

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

• Knowledge @ Wharton investigates the ‘marriage of cable and content,’ with the Comcast-NBC merger.
• The New York Times reports that Comcast has unveiled its Fancast Xfinity TV for subscribers, its take on TV Everywhere. Wall Street Journal gives its take here.
• Politico reports on Comcast’s sophisticated lobbying arm that helped the merger happen.

After the jump, could the NBC merger mean more office space, why Comcast is so un-Philadelphian and eight more stories you need to see.

MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR TIME

• AdAge runs a memo to Comcast on ‘how to fix NBC.’
• The Inquirer’s Mike Armstrong reports on why Comcast being big, bold and fierce makes it a decidedly un-Philadelphia corporate citizen.
• Philadelphia Business Journal reports that the Comcast-NBC merger could mean more regional jobs (even if a net loss) and a need for more office space.
• Media Daily News reports that NBC Universal will lose an estimated $200 million on February’s Winter Olympics.
• Hollywood Reporter reports that CNBC is in its fourth year of profit growth and is tinkled pink about the possible purchase by Comcast.

GIVE A GLANCE

• The New York Observer reports that the Comcast purchase just might change the NBC summer scene from the Hamptons to the Jersey Shore. H/T Philly Tech News
• Illadelph reports on why Comcast’s taking on NBC just might mean better liklihood for a season of Top Chef being taped in Philadelphia.
• Multichannel News reports that Comcast isn’t leaving its broadcast core business.
• Bloomberg reports that Comcast’s buying NBC means the broadcast network’s competitors will seek $1 billion or more in retransmission fees and Comcast will likely not fight much so as not to seem anti-competitive.
• paidContent reports that DailyCandy, the Comcast-owned e-mail newsletter, is halting city-specific daily updates in 12 cities, including Philadelphia.
• The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Comcast-Spectacor and Comcast SportsNet are partnering with ABC Regional Sports & Entertainment Sales to connect with more national advertisers.

When there is just too much Comcast news to follow, the Comcast Roundup will be there every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST

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.

• THE LEDE: As we reported this morning, Comcast announced it has purchased a 51 percent majority stake in NBC Universal from its current parent General Electric for $30 billion. Federal regulatory approval, which could take up to a year, remains, multiple reports say.
• The New York Times reported over the weekend that General Electric bought out French company Vivendi’s 20 percent stake in NBC for $5.8 billion, clearing the way for its deal with Comcast and fueling expectations for the move to become final.
• The Inquirer’s Mike Armstrong gives “props” — yes, props — to Comcast for aiming high. Most Philadelphia-based companies take big buy outs, Armstrong writes, but Comcast has been the only in a generation or more that has sought to and succeeded in dominating its industry. Think notorious Philly.com commenters responded?
• The New York Times digs deeper into how Comcast’s NBC acquisition will almost surely precipitate a move to bolster its sports programming to challenge ESPN. The USA Today reports that Comcast ought not try to compete with ESPN but instead find a new niche to blossom a newly branded sports channel.

After the jump, more fallout and a dozen other Comcast news pieces you need to know about.

• Technically Philly reported on allegations that Comcast has wanted to nix Philadelphia broadband stimulus proposals, suggesting it would unfairly supplement their competitors. By way of its corporate blog, Comcast says its intentions are to help increase broadband access and the best way to do that is to avoid redundancy.

MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR TIME

• Citypaper’s Clog wonders if this whole takeover is good for Philadelphia.
• Our friend Joey Sweeney at Philebrity lends his sardonic tone to the Comcast deal, doling out links we would have otherwise but doing so in a voice we perhaps might not have. The Seattle Times editorial board calls for NBC to be independent, rather than owned by the country’s largest cable-TV and broadband Internet company.
• Comcast’s corporate blog reports launching a pilot broadband data usage meter in Portland Oregon. Wired ties the move to Comcast’s rollout of a cap on data usage.

GIVE A GLANCE

• Reuters reports that pop country music crossover sensation Taylor Swift is getting her own on-demand channel. Yo, she grew up in Berks County.
• The Chicago Tribune reports that Comcast is rolling out 4G wireless there.

Comcast Voices has interviews with Executive Vice President David L. Cohen and the program’s writer on the holiday spectacular show in its headquarter lobby.

When there is just too much Comcast news to follow, the Comcast Roundup will be there every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST