Comcast Roundup: Deal with NBC ‘done in principle,’ major security initiative underway and More

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Weeks likely still remain before any more actionable steps would be taken in Comcast’s very tenuous, highly publicized possible 51 percent purchase of NBC Universal, according to the Wrap. But, Sharon Waxman reports on the site, there is a deal in principle.
But, folks there’s plenty standing in the way:

• The L.A. Times reports that Vivendi, the French company with a 20 percent stake in NBC, has veto power over any change in majority control and, without any immediate and obvious prospects left on which to spend proceeds from their cut of the deal with Comcast, may choose to hold on to its cut. The West Coast Times also reports that the company has thus far kept quiet about its board’s decision on whether to move or stay.
• Bloomberg reports that it appears Comcast leadership would, if the purchase happened, likely keep NBC’s executive team in place, including the embattled CEO Jeff Zucker, who in his reign has seen the channel go from first to fourth in national ratings and is increasingly getting heat from within the organization.
• Tactics or not, Media Memo reports that Comcast competitor and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes compared this possible deal with the failed merger between his company and AOL in the 1990s.
• Silicon Alley Insider reports that NBC staffers had concerns about seeing their health care coverage change and even worsen in comprehension if the purchase were to happen, though Comcast employees responded quickly in praising their coverage. Such a small flurry of concern does well to exemplify how much would have to go into a deal like this.
• While many of these players have since been dismissed, Forbes last week reported the existence of other potential suitors to unload NBC from its owner General Electric. H/T Philly Tech News

Even in the still very uncertain reality that this high-profile purchase were to occur, a simple majority stake by Comcast would hardly offer even the hint that NBC’s decidedly 67th ward-branded programming would take on any Philadelphia tone.
But, it could, of course, be noted that in recent years NBC has shifted the locations of its Web divisions and some MSNBC functions from Manhattan to New Jersey. While other realities were at play, the dramatic difference in real estate cost between the two surely wasn’t ignored. Philadelphia could prove an even cheaper, yet higher-profile home than the Garden State, with all the other benefits of a major city in between the government and financial capitals of the country, for any such low-profile administrative or other departments.
After the jump, more Comcast-NBC fantasizing, a large Internet security rollout and, yeesh, at least 10 other Comcast stories of note.

MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR TIME

It’s still very much a fantasy, but there’s no reason to ignore the very real benefits that Philadelphia offers both Comcast and perhaps NBC.

• The Wall Street Journal reports that the purchase would help give Comcast a sports network — coupled with NBC Sports — that could perhaps even rival industry standard-bearer ESPN.
• BusinessWeek reports that, in addition to the sports power, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is likely eying the potential of bringing more highly-sought-after video content under an authentication-required online video site, like the company’s proposed TV Everywhere.
• A Business Week blog post questions whether Comcast’s move for NBC has everything to do with insidery views of the direction of cable TV.
• The Inqy’s Joe DiStefano reports that, while Comcast stock fell following news of its courting General Electric for NBC, the bold talks make investors giddy with the thought of economy in which IPOs and financial lateral moves happen again.

Comcast news this week certainly went far beyond its potential move for NBC.

• The company’s corporate blog announced Constant Guard, but the team dedicated to proactively reaching out to customers affected by spammers, viruses and bots that has been much trumpeted by the company’s public relations unit has been largely drowned out by the noise of NBC. CNET reports on last week’s launch, and the team’s focus on tracking trends like a sudden, heavy surge in traffic from a particular IP adresss. The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that the initiative includes free security software that customers can download from Comcast, and Gigaom gives its approval.Also as part of the service, Comcast is begining in the Denver, Colo. market sending service notices to customers who may have been affected by these Web dangers. “We think we�re one of the first (and perhaps the only) ISPs in the U.S. to implement these types of measures,” said Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas in an e-mail to Technically Philly.

GIVE A GLANCE

• The Washington Post’s tech blog has an interview with FCC Chairman Juluis Genachowski, in which he again stands firm in his net neutrality convictions, which would, among other things, stop Comcast and other ISPs from limiting the amount of broadband space users occupy.
• Multichannel News reports that the advertising placement in Comcast’s still-developing, online video streaming service TV Everywhere is very much an undecided matter.
• Cable Digital News reports that Comcast is deploying in Jacksonville, Flor. a system that inserts advertisements into its on-demand video content.
• Cable Digital News that Comcast recently purchased Chicago-area based CLEC Cimco, a mid-level business services firm.
• The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Phillies ratings are up 25 percent on Comcast SportsNet. Damn front-runners.
• Gigaom runs a piece criticizing the necessity of Comcast’s new convergence device, designed to integrate a wireless home router, a VoIP service and other functions. H/T PTN

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