Comcast Roundup: Lobbying power, Fancast Xfinity goes wild and More

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