Online conditions only hold-up in Comcast-NBCU approval, Zucker says

Jeffrey Zucker figures he doesn't have much time left as CEO of NBC Universal. It's been announced that Zucker will leave the job after Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) takes over and that, he said, should be finalized by year's end, as the MSO has consistently predicted.

The "big issue" that could delay regulatory approval, he said, is "the future of online video and what are going to be the conditions of the deal around that." that could, in fact, be such a sticky wicket that Comcast won't get the deal done until 2011.

Timing apparently isn't that important. Despite the fact that nothing's said and done Comcast COO Steve Burke confirmed the closely held (to maybe a non-interested farmer in Boise) secret that former Showtime President Robert Greenblatt has been named chairman of NBC Universal TV Entertainment, responsible for all prime time and late night programming along with NBC Universal Media Studios. Burke, himself, is replacing Zucker.

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