Comcast, a major cable TV distributor, has branched out into providing telephone service and Internet service.
It now seeks to purchase NBC/Universal.
Before divesture, many people argued against the structure of the old Bell System on the grounds that it was "too big". They objected to AT&T owning three major elements--long distance, local service, and Western Electric (mfrg), and wanted the parts broken up. The grudge against WE being part of the Bell System goes back many years.
Now that Comcast is providing telephone and internet service, perhaps it would be too big as well if it included NBC in its portfolio. In other words, what was the point of breaking up the old AT&T if we're gonna allow new companies to become as big and powerful?
The idea of a cable company--the distributor--owning the production company troubles me. Before WW II, the big movie studios owned the theatres and controlled what movies appeared. It was hard for independents to get their films shown if they didn't have the blessings of the big guys. After the war an anti-trust action forced the studios to sell off the theatres, and it appeared things worked better accordingly.
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