Lots of chatter as 2010 has passed and both sides are eager to close this deal. So what are the stumbling points? "At issue is a condition proposed by the Federal Communications Commission that would require Comcast to offer NBC programming to any online video service that has reached a similar deal for content from at least one of NBC's competitors, such as Walt Disney Co. or News Corp." Some wonder that the conditions imposed could raise additional problems.
Regardless, it seems the cat is so far out of the bag that there is nothing else left to do but approve this merger. Is it good for business, perhaps. Is it good for the consumer? The one thing I can tell you, that no matter what the conditions are, companies and consumers alike often find work arounds. Can't get the answer you want, work around. Build a better mousetrap. Hence cord cutting and IPTV. Napster and file sharing. With technological innovation in the entertainment industry happening at a lightning fast pace, a merger, even of this size, won't stop the consumer from getting the content they desire.
So the question of this merger is simply when and no longer if.
