Comcast Roundup: ‘Self regulation, not government mandates’ for internet 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

• Comcast executive: self-regulation, not government mandates, for Internet [Post Tech: Washington Post] — “Comcast executive vice president David Cohen will deliver a speech in Washington on Monday, where he will stress the role of self-regulation of the Internet.”
• Verizon echoes Comcast: Feds shouldn’t reign over Internet service providers [Post Tech: Washington Post] Tom Tauke, Verizon’s executive vice president of public affairs, says: “After haggling over the issue for over five years, we are essentially in the same place we were when this debate started… There still is no identifiable problem to be solved, and instead, as predicted, technology and market forces are ensuring that access to the Internet is open to consumers, as well as to developers of content and services.”
• Who Should Govern the Internet? [Comcast blog] — David L. Cohen says “The more important the Internet becomes, the more discussion, debate and pressure grows for more government involvement. In my talk at Brookings, I will suggest a path that relies primarily on the consensus-based self-governance model that has typified the Internet since its founding as a better alternative…” And follow up on the Comcast blog regarding the panel that followed Cohen’s keynote address.

Below, Comcast said to struggle with the Hollywood entertainment ecosystem, NBCU reshuffling detailed and more.

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• Comcast’s clumsy Hollywood kickoff [Variety] — “NBC U has deficiencies in various key areas, but the company has enjoyed enough success — particularly in cable — to create well-regarded stars within its executive ranks. Keeping them all happy — along with their new corporate Comcast siblings — was inevitably going to present a thorny challenge. ” H/T Philly Tech News
• Comcast prepared to give Ted Harbert big NBC job [LA Times] — “Comcast’s Steve Burke has been putting the finishing touches on his new management team, which would install two veteran programmers — Bob Greenblatt and Ted Harbert — to run the troubled broadcast network. Each would report to Burke.”
• Comcast Reshuffles NBC’s Deck: Who’s Up, Down And Out [Forbes] — “After many months of speculating, plotting and jockeying for position, the results of Steve Burke’s reshuffled deck are about to be unveiled.”
• Lawmakers weigh TV fees bill, some call television market broken [Post Tech: Wasington Post] — Sen. John “Jay” Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) “said cable and satellite prices have risen at a pace three times that of inflation in recent years.”
• War over? Comcast says “Consensus at hand on net neutrality” [Ars Technica] — A cheeky criticism of Comcast executives suggesting consensus for a still thorny issue.

GIVE A GLANCE

• RPT-Comcast talks with regulators on NBC deal heat up [Reuters] — “Comcast is pushing to close the deal by year-end, the sources said.”
• Regulators eye Internet, program conditions to Comcast-NBC merger, sources say [Post Tech: Washington Post ] — “Federal regulators have told Comcast and NBC Universal that they have significant concerns that a proposed merger will harm competition in the cable and satellite market and the nascent but fast-growing Internet TV industry, according to sources familiar with the reviews.”
• Google, Verizon, Comcast Hindered Network Neutrality: FCC Chairman [eWeek] — “FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said the Comcast ruling and Google and Verizon’s separate plan threw a hitch in his agency’s own network neutrality plans.”
• On Demand: Dickish Behavior [Portland Mercury] — An op-ed says “Comcast is being a total dick,” because several public access services, funded by Comcast as part of an agreement for exclusive franchise rights for the Portland area, may be lost because negotiations with city governments are slowing.
• Consumer 10.0: NBCU takeover only one of Comcast’s fights [Inquirer]
• Comcast: Google TV Isn’t Compatible With Our ‘TV Everywhere’ Service [Multichannel News]
• Hulu Plus launches, cuts price — look out Comcast and Netflix? [Seattle Times] — “After lots of testing, the hit online video site Hulu today launched its Hulu Plus pay service for $7.99 per month.”
• Comcast’s Tunerfish social TV app gets a new face [MediaBeat] — “Today, the company announced a bunch of upgrades that general manager John McCrea said should lead to more sign-ups and growth.”
• Comcast Sports, Sporting News team up [Philadelphia Business Journal] — “Comcast Sports Group said Wednesday it has formed a partnership with Sporting News magazine on regional editions of a daily digital magazine.
• Comcast’s new iPad app to show TV listings [Psysorg.com] — “It’s the newspaper TV grid on electronic steroids. “
• In a stirring and dramatic piece of video, a Comcast engineer talks about developing that new iPad app. Watch it below.

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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