Comcast about to close its entry into NBC Universal

If the deal valued at $30 billion is closed, the cable television giant would take over the oldest network in the United States and Universal, the second largest studio in Hollywood.

Comcast, the cable television giant in the US, which five years ago tried to take control of Disney and General Electric, is back on track and now intends to close the purchase of NBC for 30 billion euros (about 20.2 billion euros). This operation would mean that Comcast would control 51% of NBC Universal, owner of the oldest North American network and the second largest studio in Hollywood.

In this way, Comcast would buy 51 percent of NBC Universal, leaving General Electric with the rest. As part of the deal, conglomerate GE would buy its missing 20 percent of NBC from its French partner Vivendi, while Comcast would contribute programming assets and some cash. GE controls 80 percent of NBC Universal, while Vivendi considers whether to sell its 20 percent. Other alternatives include a public sale of the Vivendi package or an agreement with another firm.

Vivendi made a catastrophic investment in Universal in 2000 when it bought it for $34 billion, selling 80% of the film studio four years later for only $14.1 billion. The investment of the other reference shareholder, General Electric, has not been very buoyant either since it injected 33.5 billion dollars to revive NBC Universal and is now on the verge of ceding control of the company to Comcast for 30 billion.

Al margen del precio, la operación se enfrenta ahora a otro escollo, los tribunales americanos de defensa de la competencia que no verían con buenos ojos una concentración excesiva en el mercado de la televisión por cable, con Comcast como líder absoluto.

Los canales de NBC Universal han crecido de forma constante en los últimos años con fuerte presencia internacional. Después de haber adquirido los derechos de la marca Hallmark en Europa, el portfolio de Universal incluye en el Viejo Continente canales como Universal Channel, Calle 13 Universal, SyFy Universal (la ex Sci Fi ), Diva Universal y Universal Studio. Comcast también tiene participación internacional en mercados fuera de EE.UU. a través de los canales E! Entertaiment y Estilo.