What Comcast is buying (IMO), is NBC/U’s content. Old movies, old tv shows, etc. NBC as a “network” will fade away. In fact, with this purchase, you could say it is already gone. You can be sure that whatever ain’t making money will be snuffed. That’s why I still say Network News (ABCCBSNBC) is living on borrowed time. The news divisions don’t make money.
Comcast has to figure out how to make money from this content. They could try locking it up and rationing it out to viewers for a fee. But that’s problematic as file sharing can blow that out of the water. The music industry tried that and failed miserably.
I don’t have a clue as to how they’ll turn this into a money machine like it used to be when they controlled distribution. And I suspect they don’t either.
And I still maintain that the concept of TV “networks” as we have perceived them to be all our lives is kaput.
Originally it was called “chain broadcasting.”
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles09/advertising-11.shtml
Spot Versus Chain Broadcasting
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/comcast-youre-in-the-news-business-now/
Comcast, You’re in the News Business Now
I’ll chime in. Comcast is a leftist company that resisted Fox News for years till subscribers stormed their doors.
Comcast will turn NBC into a left wing propaganda organ.