NBC and Comcast: BY OUR POWERS COMBINED...
Category: General
Tags: NBC, Universal Studios, Comcast, Hulu, AOL, Time Warner, Wand Rape
Apparently Hulu doesn't exist in Europe.
It seems obvious now,
as this information isn't exactly hidden, and is in fact published in
the first paragraph of Hulu's Wikipedia page and on the Media
Information page at Hulu.com/about. However, being the true
self-absorbed American that I am, I didn't consider the possibility of
other countries not having what we take for granted here in the
states. Doesn't everyone have a Bill of Rights and at least one family
member with Diabetes? Apparently not.
However, the fact that
Hulu is a United States-exclusive media venture is not the issue here.
The issue today deals with one of the owners of Hulu, NBC Universal.
Today
Comcast announced its purchase of 51% of NBC Universal's shares,
equating complete venture ownership of NBCU. Comcast, who purchased the
company from GE in an estimated $30 billion deal, is a United
States-based cable and communications company with no experience
managing the content that they have been proudly pumping into our tubes
(Electronic rape) since 1963.
While many comparisons have
already been made to the doomed deal of AOL and Time Warner in 2000, I
am optimistic about this one. It seems fitting that a cable company who
has been recently seeking to generate more internet and mobile phone
service subscribers would own a network venture such as NBC. In this
sense, Hulu has quite a lot to do with the discussion today. NBCU
currently holds the minority share in Hulu, with majorities Disney and
Newscorp, two companies who have been know to carelessly throw around
the idea of making the free internet TV service a subscription-based
system. As an internet provider, it is very possible that Comcast will
have a different view on the matter, as much as their minority share
under the top two media companies in the world will allow at least.
Already, Comcast's operating chief Steve Burke has said that a "Hulu
Premium" is "not in the cards," and that the company has no plans of
altering the current free system. Unlike the AOL/Time Warner deal,
technology is moving quickly enough at this point to support the idea
of a cable and internet provider owning a network company, if that can
pass regulation testing. Hopefully, this means that when Hulu does
finally row its way across the pond, the model will still be free for
our British buddies and the like.
Two more areas of interest that this deal could potentially affect: Heroes and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter amusement park at Universal Studios in Florida.
Heroes,
currently in its fourth season on NBC and streaming full episodes on
Hulu, should only benefit from the merger. If anything, this means more
internet time. Bonus.
Comcast is now in control of the Universal
Studios theme park where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set to
open in Spring of next year. If they do anything--anything--to
fuck with that opening, I will personally hunt down Steve Burke and
show him that wands are not just child's play and they can inflict copious amounts of bodily harm when used
properly. Watch your ass, Mr. Burke. We certainly will be.
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