FCC decision on NBC-Comcast merger expected this week

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears set to finalize its conditions for Comcast’s proposed acquisition of a majority stake in NBC Universal this week, sources confirmed to The Hill.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski indicated in December the commission will approve the transaction; sources told The Hill Monday that commission members are currently finalizing their opinions and a final decision could be reached as soon as Tuesday.

{mosads}While FCC members haven’t publicly stated their positions on the merger, Democratic Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps are the most likely sources of dissent. Both have indicated concern about the impact of the nation’s largest broadband provider purchasing one of the four broadcast networks.

The FCC’s conditions for the transaction have yet to be finalized, but indications are they will include a clause that will ban the new entity from discriminating against competing content providers or withholding content from rival online video services.

The final agreement will also include provisions to encourage minority representation in the media industry and preserve access for independent programmers and content providers. The Justice Department is expected to conclude a separate review in the coming weeks as well.

Comcast has also voluntarily entered into memoranda of understanding with advocacy groups representing the African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic-American communities that will set aside channel slots and funding for programming aimed at those communities.

However, those agreements are still not enough to satisfy the numerous advocacy groups and rival media firms that have opposed the merger, including Bloomberg, Writers Guild of America, West and Consumers Union.

Among lawmakers, Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have been the most public in their opposition to the merger, while others such as Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) have urged the FCC to impose stringent conditions on both parties.

Comcast has insisted the merger would prove beneficial to consumers. It has pointed to the more than 100 members of Congress as well as several state governors and dozens of community service organizations that have expressed public support for the merger, in many instances after receiving financial support from Comcast.