"Aim for the stars, if you fall short - you will end up on the Moon", was probably Brian L. Roberts’ favorite quote. His bold, monumental move to acquire NBC Universal from GE is certainly commendable. In fact, I personally never considered Comcast to be that big a company till that news broke out earlier this year. Not that my opinion matters, but I was quite impressed.
After the IP Telephony, Internet TV is the next big niche and large players are laying bets to control the market. Apple and Google want a huge piece of this market. Apple just re-launched its Apple TV and as Kyl Risdull from the Public Radios’ Market place states - "Doesn't it feel like Apple is launching something or the other every 3 weeks". The iPhone 4, the iPad and now the Apple TV.
For sure, Apple had a very impressive come back with their launch of the iPod. It essentially revolutionized the music and the gadget industry; it has emerged as a dominant player in the music industry. Banking on the iPod’s success, Apple quickly ventured into the massive Mobile market with the release of iPhone and their universe of Apps (with a catchy punch line- “We have an app for that”). With the latest release of its iPad, it is starting to change, if not already, the Publishing and the e-Book Industry. Now Steve Jobs is trying to go after the Digital media/entertainment market. He continues on his 'take over the world' strategy.
Anyway, circling back to where I started - If Comcast was to take over NBC, there are obvious advantages to the company but what does it do to the industry?. FCC is thoroughly scrutinizing the merger where Comcast has the major stake, to make sure one company doesn't have too much advantage in that space. Monopoly, quality of service, price and a plethora of other issues might surface after the deal goes through.
Outside of the Industry challenges, Comcast has some serious things to consider - "Today," "Nightly News" and "Meet the Press" have consistently topped the network competition in the ratings, they need to keep this going. With Jeff Zucker's latest announcement, it will be interesting to see how they would keep up.
One thing is for certain, though: It will be pricey for Comcast to acquire NBC Universal and whip it into shape. If Comcast is griping about the costs related to acquiring NBC Universal, just wait till the deal is done.
I wish Comcast all the luck as I'm one of their dedicated customers (not by choice)
Bottom line – it’s not about competitiveness, its all about control. That’s my take on it.
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