Roberts, Zucker headline House Comcast/NBCU hearing

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It comes as absolutely no surprise whatsoever that Comcast Chairman/CEO Brian Roberts and NBCU President/CEO Jeff Zucker will be the star witnesses next week when the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet puts the proposed merger on the front burner.


The party leadership of the Subcommittee includes Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Ranking Member Cliff Stearns (R-FL). We can almost certainly expect visits from leadership of the parent Committee on Energy and Commerce, including Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman Emeritus John Dingell (D-MI) and Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX).

The hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning, 2/4/10.

According to a subcommittee release, “The hearing will explore the potential impact on the media marketplace of the proposed joint venture agreement between Comcast and NBC Universal.”

The hearing will also feature a cable operator, a representative of NBC TV affiliates and a pair of contrasting watchdogs.

Here is the full witness list:

* Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation

* Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal

* Colleen Abdoulah, President and CEO, WOW! Internet, Cable, and Phone

* Mark Cooper, Ph.D., Director of Research, Consumer Federation of America

* Michael J. Fiorile, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Dispatch Printing Company, Chair of the NBC Affiliates Board

* Adam D. Thierer, President, Progress and Freedom Foundation