Comcast seeks approval for NBC merger

The companies also need the approval of the Justice Department, with which Comcast and NBC filed papers earlier this week.

Congressional hearings on the merger begin next week. Lawmakers have already voiced their own concerns with the deal.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) said he’s pleased with Comcast’s public interest promises, but “I will be looking for additional guarantees to protect competition and consumers.”

Those guarantees could include more commitments to independent programming, maintaining access to sports programming and ensuring consumers still have access to favorite shows online at a low cost, he said.

Rep. Henry C. Johnson (D-Ga.), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, said “I continue to reserve judgement on the proposed merger, but the FCC public filing is a step in the right direction to alleviate concerns about the potential anticompetitive effects of the transaction.”