Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.
Skip to Main ContentThe payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.
Re-activateA study released Monday tallied up how much Comcast's bid to buy NBC Universal would cost Americans, and came up with $2.4 billion over nine years. The report was put out by the American Cable Association, an industry group representing small and medium-size cable providers.
They might have an axe to grind, but the study was authored by William Rogerson, a former chief economist at the FCC and now professor at Northwestern University, who calls his estimate "a relatively conservative figure". Comcast, however, calls it a "flawed economic analysis."
The study echoes concerns consumer groups have raised about the negative effects on competition the takeover might bring, since the proposal was announced last December. Other than a potentially higher bill, there's the chance that Comcast could yank Sunday Night Football from free broadcast on NBC—possibly bypassing basic cable—and charge for it as part of a package. And according to the Wall Street Journal, one of the holdups that Justice Department regulators have had in deciding whether to approve the $30 billion deal, is that it could prevent the growing Internet television industry from becoming a true competitor to cable.
If you aren't crazy about your cable bill going up, take a look at this petition that lets the FCC know how you feel. It's sponsored by Hear Us Now, a site run by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.
—Chris Fichera
Build & Buy Car Buying Service
Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience.
Get Ratings on the go and compare
while you shop
