Comcast-NBCU deal has CBS affiliates fretting

In hardly surprising news, CBS TV station affiliates are worried that Comcast's $30 billion acquisition of NBC Universal could have an adverse effect on their business. Tim Busch, chairman of the CBS Television Network Affiliates Association said as much in a letter to CBS affiliates.

"Our specific concern is that Comcast/NBCU would have incentives to competitively disadvantage and discriminate against non-NBC-affiliated stations in terms of Comcast's cable carriage, retransmission consent negotiations and advertising and promotion practices," the letter said.

In a show of unanimity, Busch also said that the CBS affiliate board has "conferred" with FOX and ABC affiliates about their joint concerns and how they can emphasize them to the FCC which is in an open period of hearing complaints about the proposed merger.

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