back to article Totally shock claim: Comcast accused of gouging TV rivals

US cable giant Comcast has been accused of strong-arming smaller carriers into paying too much for some of its TV channels. This week, Wave Broadband alleged [PDF] Comcast, through its NBCUniversal subsidiary, forced it to sign an unfavorable deal in order to carry the regional sports networks it owned in the Washington, …

  1. ecofeco Silver badge
    Gimp

    Comcast?

    The Marque de Sade of cable TV?

    Shocked I tell you.

  2. DeKrow
    Mushroom

    Neutral

    Isn't this "the market" at work? If Comcast has gotten itself into a commercial position such that smaller players are forced to accept less-than-ideal contracts, isn't that just the fulfillment of The American Dream?

    1. Notas Badoff

      Re: Neutral (Pedal to the Pendulum)

      A recurrent pattern throughout history / life / Hollywood is a pendulum swinging back and forth. People seem to be totally unable to notice when things have gone too far in one direction or the other. Helpless to stop themselves they just keep pushing farther and farther until something breaks. And the reverse swing begins.

      So incumbents will keep 'improving' their situations to the point that even idiots know they are being ripped off. And then the whines of millions of voices crying out in anger will drown out the whines of incumbents.

      And Pai will find himself served up cold by the politicians.

      1. SinceYouAsked

        Re: Neutral (Pedal to the Pendulum)

        Pai seemed to have slept through classes that had to do with natural monopolies. He obviously, like many Senators and Representatives, such as that IDIOT Ron Johnson, can't tell the difference between Con Ed (Power Distribution in NY) and Hamilton Beach (maker of blenders for neat drinks.) Pai and his uneducated friend Ronny, think that innovation occurs with Con Ed. What do you call the excrement that come out of a male cow? I want a blender that crushes ice, Con Ed has nothing to do with that.

        They wouldn't have a problem if Con Ed would charge you MORE for electricity if you didn't use their TV or watch their TV stations.

        These are just a Whitman sampler of the uneducated, and/or corrupt "leaders" in United States that sadly are destroying the United States by looking after themselves.

        I'm neither a Republican nor Democrat because they are BOTH stupid or corrupt or both.. They get to choose.

      2. Bob Dole (tm)

        Re: Neutral (Pedal to the Pendulum)

        And Pai will find himself served up cold by the politicians.

        You have far more faith in said politicians than I do.

        It's actually been proven that the more a given politician receives in political contributions, the deafer (s)he becomes. The only ones that pay more than lip service to what the people want are whose "foundation" is still in the early growth phase.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'Merkan free enterprise.....

    1, Set up a business.

    2, Work REALLY REALLY hard to get it to be an effective monopoly.

    3. Bribe every politician of every party so we can add taxes, fees and surcharges to your bill without you being able to cancel (because we have the monopoly).

    4. Screw into the ground every small local competitor and bribe every commissioner from either fair trade organisations or telecoms organisations that wants to investigate us.

    5. Get VERY VERY VERY rich, pay as little tax as possible.

    6. Retire and ensure I still have access to the corporate Gulfstream.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: 'Merkan free enterprise.....

      The uncomfortable truth is that that's what you get from a country that's built on the backs of slaves.

  4. jonathan keith

    A complaint about Comcast to the FCC?

    Well, good luck with that.

    1. Charles 9

      Re: A complaint about Comcast to the FCC?

      Would a prosecution under the Sherman Act fly?

  5. fishman

    FCC

    The FCC - A division of Comcast, Inc.

    1. thomn8r

      Re: FCC

      s/comcast/$telecoms/gi

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