FCC denies petition to stay review of NBCU/Comcast merger

The FCC has sided with Comcast and NBCU, saying it'll continue its review of the merger of the media companies despite a group's petition  to postpone the commission's actions, and to allow for public hearings on the "diversity content implications" of the deal. The FCC in rejecting the plea said its planned review would allow ample time to discuss the issues and that it would be able to find out programming details during its "discovery procedures, if it so chooses."

"We find no reason to depart from the procedure the Commission has established to review the proposed transaction," the FCC said in a brief statement explaining why it had turned down the Mabuhay Alliance's request. The FCC is expected to take at least six months, and possibly a year, to determine if it will allow the $30 billion merger to take place. Approval from the Justice Department, which is looking at the case as it related to anti-trust issues, also must be gained for the deal to go through.

For more:
- see this Broadcast & Cable story

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