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Consumers Union on reports FCC, DOJ skeptical of Comcast merger

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Consumers Union on Reports FCC, DOJ Skeptical of Comcast Merger

WASHINGTON , D.C. –  News reports suggest the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff is recommending that Comcast’s merger with Time Warner Cable be sent to an administrative law judge for a hearing, a procedural move that could be a setback to the mega-merger.

Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports, has consistently urged the FCC and the Department of Justice to reject the merger in a series of meetings and filings with regulators over the past year.  Reports suggest Justice may also be leaning against the deal.

Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union, said, “If these latest reports are accurate, we are encouraged that the FCC may share our concerns that a merger of this size would hurt consumers and competition alike. This merger would give Comcast unprecedented control over cable TV, high-speed broadband and the content we receive – with zero incentive to address the consumer complaints that have plagued them for years. Despite Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s promises that this deal will be better for customers, it only serves to better Comcast’s bottom line. As regulators continue to review this merger, we will continue to make the case that there are no conditions or commitments that would make the deal palatable for consumers.”

For more information about Consumers Union’s campaign against the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, visit hearusnow.org

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Media contact: David Butler or Kara Kelber, 202-462-6262dbutler@consumer.orgkkerlber@consumer.org, or Michael McCauley, 415-431-6747mmccauley@consumer.org

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