Comcast now owns NBC (purchased away from GE)

[DMX7]

What does it mean if anything for man of the people, Keith Obermann, and the rest of MSNBC?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/business/media/04nbc.html?_r=1&hp

[spursncowboys]

Maybe they will try and have actual ratings.
Maybe they will stop promoting GE products -wind power, green lightbulbs, etc.

[coyotes_geek]

Couldn't care less what it means for Olberman.

Care deeply about what it means for my GE stock.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Maybe they will try and have actual ratings.
Maybe they will stop promoting GE products -wind power, green lightbulbs, etc.

actually going to pure partisan news has helped fox news immensely

[DMX7]

actually going to pure partisan news has helped fox news immensely

Yep, polarizing content draws the best ratings. Just look at Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Obermann, etc.

[Drachen]

I just read about it and damn this is a complicated deal. Comcast owns 51% of NBC and has to purchase the rest of it at a 20% premium to market within 7 years unless NBC earnings fall under a certain threshold (Unknown by me). GE gets to borrow 9.5B against NBC's assets with which it will pay Vivendi 5.8B for its remaining stake in the company, and comcast will send an additional ~6.5B to GE. I didnt follow all of the numbers precisely but somehow GE will get 22.3 B in cash out of this, along with its remaining 49% stake. I am interested because of my GE stock as well.

[DMX7]

As a markets guy, I think it's safe to say this is good news for GE.

[DarrinS]

Yep, polarizing content draws the best ratings. Just look at Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Obermann, etc.

Olbermann doesn't have good ratings.

[clambake]

Olbermann doesn't have good ratings.

thats because we watch fox.

[DMX7]

Olbermann doesn't have good ratings.

Yeah, he has pretty strong ratings. Not better than the lunatics at Fox News but every once and a while he does actually outdraw O'reilly. And his ratings are certainly better than most of CNN's.

[coyotes_geek]

I just read about it and damn this is a complicated deal. Comcast owns 51% of NBC and has to purchase the rest of it at a 20% premium to market within 7 years unless NBC earnings fall under a certain threshold (Unknown by me). GE gets to borrow 9.5B against NBC's assets with which it will pay Vivendi 5.8B for its remaining stake in the company, and comcast will send an additional ~6.5B to GE. I didnt follow all of the numbers precisely but somehow GE will get 22.3 B in cash out of this, along with its remaining 49% stake. I am interested because of my GE stock as well.

It is confusing. But in the end it looks like GE ends up with a bunch of cash in pocket in the here and now. Given their exposure on the financial side of their business, having the extra cash on hand is a good thing.

[rjv]

can you imagine if comcast makes NBC exclusive to comcast and pulls it from the other providers ?

[coyotes_geek]

can you imagine if comcast makes NBC exclusive to comcast and pulls it from the other providers ?

Interesting scenario, but comcast would just be shooting themselves in the foot. That would absolutely kill NBC's advertising revenue.

[Drachen]

It is confusing. But in the end it looks like GE ends up with a bunch of cash in pocket in the here and now. Given their exposure on the financial side of their business, having the extra cash on hand is a good thing.

This is what the articles I was reading said. It could be for that purpose, but GE states that they want to use it to invest in their infrastructure businesses. Smart Grid, here we come!

[DarkReign]

Yay for more media consolodation!

Now we only have 3 people controlling the American media! Woot!

All hail Roberts, Murdoch and Eisner! Hail to our pervayors of information! Hail to our golden box and the talking heads! Hail to the same glossed over populist topics! Hail to the political agenda driven news cycle! Hail to the deat hof objectivity and variety!

Hail!

[dimsah]

I'm sure glad Comcast was able to recently lay off whole fucking departments of people in my building so they could buy more shit.

[spursncowboys]

As a markets guy, I think it's safe to say this is good news for GE.
+1
To clear up their books.

[spursncowboys]

Yay for more media consolodation!

Now we only have 3 people controlling the American media! Woot!

All hail Roberts, Murdoch and Eisner! Hail to our pervayors of information! Hail to our golden box and the talking heads! Hail to the same glossed over populist topics! Hail to the political agenda driven news cycle! Hail to the deat hof objectivity and variety!

Hail!
Internet, clear channel, etc.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Couldn't care less what it means for Olberman.

Care deeply about what it means for my GE stock.

Two words. Jeffrey Immelt.




You have nothing to worry about.

[Jacob1983]

Don't repeats of Olbermann at 9pm get more viewers than Anderson Cooper at 9pm?