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Supernova
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2009
Comcast-NBC Merger: Just Say No
I felt that this is a serious topic that needs to be addressed. Now, I'm not the most eloquent writer at times, and am not by far a public speaker, but this message needs to get out to everyone.
The aforementioned links highlight the issues, and a simple google search will turn up more, but the facts are plain. Think about it: Comcast, the largest cable company in America, and NBC Universal, Inc., a giant media corporation, merging into one company with Comcast being the name on the sign. That right there just boggles the mind. The implications are almost frightening. I'm a Comcast subscriber, and I love their service. Granted it's the only service other than DSL and I have no complaints about the service I have ever received from them, but there is a point where a company should not get any bigger.
Comcast already raises their rates by a reported 8% every year. Imagine what will happen when they are even bigger, and more money hungry, than they are now? But in reality, there is the fact that Comcast will control how much other TV companies have to pay in order to get NBC programming. Yes, that's right. A cable company will be able to tell other cable companies how much they pay for a service they now control. And don't think that they will use the revenue to keep customer's bills down: it's all for their pockets.
There is a reason we have anti-trust laws in America, and I am not fully read up on my laws but I feel it's right to say that the new Comcast will start to infringe on those laws. Remember AT&T, the telecommunications mogul that was broken apart by the government because they were a monopoly? In case you haven't heard, they are back. Yes, the broke apart into the Bells. AT&T became a cell carrier, of sorts. Slowly, the Bells started to get eaten up again. Not all, but a fair chunk. SBC, one of the Bells after the 1984 AT&T breakup, purchased Ameritech, a company created that controlled five of the Bells. Then SBC, who also owned Cingular Wireless, bought AT&T and AT&T Wireless and, 'lo and behold, restructured into 'the new AT&T'. You see what happened there? Sneaky company merges back into a bigger giant than it was before the breakup.
This is the sort of thing we cannot let happen. If we are a democracy, then the power is in our hands. We can speak up and be heard. We can demand changes. We can make sure that our best interests are looked after. I know not all of us are from the US, but we can all relate to this issue. So this call goes out to all American citizens (but only cause it's a govt petition thing): Speak up and be heard! Let your representatives know that you will not stomach a power-hungry media and telecommunication giant. Tell them that you demand that they stop this, and take care of the American people.
Ladies and gentlemen of BM, I submit unto you the outlet for Your Voice!
Some added reading:
Comcast, List of assets
NBC Universal, Inc. wiki page
And a fun, informative pic!
PS - If you hung on this far, good for you! Don't let anyone tell you that it's no use. The government will listen to you! I have seen it happen when they struck down Comcast for interfering with P2P and torrenting, and then they sanctioned them again for fooling with VOIP traffic. We can, and will, put a stop to anti-consumerism. Your voice, and your vote, is always heard.
Thank you.
I felt that this is a serious topic that needs to be addressed. Now, I'm not the most eloquent writer at times, and am not by far a public speaker, but this message needs to get out to everyone.
The aforementioned links highlight the issues, and a simple google search will turn up more, but the facts are plain. Think about it: Comcast, the largest cable company in America, and NBC Universal, Inc., a giant media corporation, merging into one company with Comcast being the name on the sign. That right there just boggles the mind. The implications are almost frightening. I'm a Comcast subscriber, and I love their service. Granted it's the only service other than DSL and I have no complaints about the service I have ever received from them, but there is a point where a company should not get any bigger.
Comcast already raises their rates by a reported 8% every year. Imagine what will happen when they are even bigger, and more money hungry, than they are now? But in reality, there is the fact that Comcast will control how much other TV companies have to pay in order to get NBC programming. Yes, that's right. A cable company will be able to tell other cable companies how much they pay for a service they now control. And don't think that they will use the revenue to keep customer's bills down: it's all for their pockets.
There is a reason we have anti-trust laws in America, and I am not fully read up on my laws but I feel it's right to say that the new Comcast will start to infringe on those laws. Remember AT&T, the telecommunications mogul that was broken apart by the government because they were a monopoly? In case you haven't heard, they are back. Yes, the broke apart into the Bells. AT&T became a cell carrier, of sorts. Slowly, the Bells started to get eaten up again. Not all, but a fair chunk. SBC, one of the Bells after the 1984 AT&T breakup, purchased Ameritech, a company created that controlled five of the Bells. Then SBC, who also owned Cingular Wireless, bought AT&T and AT&T Wireless and, 'lo and behold, restructured into 'the new AT&T'. You see what happened there? Sneaky company merges back into a bigger giant than it was before the breakup.
This is the sort of thing we cannot let happen. If we are a democracy, then the power is in our hands. We can speak up and be heard. We can demand changes. We can make sure that our best interests are looked after. I know not all of us are from the US, but we can all relate to this issue. So this call goes out to all American citizens (but only cause it's a govt petition thing): Speak up and be heard! Let your representatives know that you will not stomach a power-hungry media and telecommunication giant. Tell them that you demand that they stop this, and take care of the American people.
Ladies and gentlemen of BM, I submit unto you the outlet for Your Voice!
Some added reading:
Comcast, List of assets
NBC Universal, Inc. wiki page
And a fun, informative pic!
PS - If you hung on this far, good for you! Don't let anyone tell you that it's no use. The government will listen to you! I have seen it happen when they struck down Comcast for interfering with P2P and torrenting, and then they sanctioned them again for fooling with VOIP traffic. We can, and will, put a stop to anti-consumerism. Your voice, and your vote, is always heard.
Thank you.