CU Urges DoJ to Halt Comcast-TWC Deal
Consumers Union (CU), the policy arm of Consumer Reports, wants US federal regulators to put a stop to Comcast’s planned acquisition of Time Warner Cable.
In a fresh filing Thursday, Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. said it “respectfully requests that the U.S. Department of Justice bring action to enjoin the proposed merger of Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable.” Consumers Union has previously argued for action against the merger with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) , the other federal agency in charge of reviewing the Comcast/TWC deal.
The arguments for and against the Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) acquisition of a Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) are well worn by now, but still worth reviewing as the clock ticks closer to a decision on regulatory approval. In its filing with the DoJ, CU echoes many of the points put forth by other opponents of the merger. CU argues that a combined Comcast/TWC would decrease competition in video and broadband, slow or block innovation by online video companies, impede innovation by equipment and platform providers and “reduce the quality and diversity of information sources and services to the public.”