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.

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• The Washington Post reports on the nation’s largest broadband service providers creating voluntary guidelines for managing network data traffic, a partnership Comcast shared more detail on.
• Multichannel News reports on Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and his grilling of assistant U.S. Attorney General Christine Varney on his “inherent distrust of NBC and Comcast’s promises.”
• Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen writes on the public field hearing on the Comcast-NBC acquisition held in Los Angeles, and the Washington Post reports that a former FCC chief was a late cancellation to testify.

GIVE A GLANCE

• The Comcast corporate blog announces that in partnering with Philadelphia Reads, the company brought in more than 1,000 books for Philadelphia schools.
• NewTeeVee reports that Comcast COO Stephen Burke has again said Comcast is not competing with Google TV but rather satellite TV providers and other standards.
• The Wrap reports on the exact language of NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker’s payment structure.
• OK, they lost. But Comcast blogger Scott McNulty shows us what went into getting the Comcast-Spectacor owned and operated Wachovia Center ready for the Flyers-Chicago Blackhawks sixth game of the NHL Finals.

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