The consolidation of major media continues unabated as Comcast has bought a controlling interest in NBC/Universal. This makes the Roberts owned media conglomerate based in Philadelphia the largest such company in the country. The Roberts family has deep conservative ties and this could bode dark clouds for MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. I worry about media operations being combined in huge companies because, more and more, a few companies control all of our mainstream news coverage. This isn't healthy for democracy. What's more, having Comcast own NBC and its network of cable operations means less choice for viewers. Comcast is infamous for its hardball tactics against competitors like DirecTV. You cannot get Comcast owned sports teams on your satellite network for example.
This is bad news and should be struck down on antitrust grounds.
In other media news two community radio licenses are available in north central Pennsylvania. The Prometheus Radio Project informs me that any social justice groups looking to capitalize on this unique opportunity should contact them. Call Megan Sheehan at 215-727-9620 x506.
