Comcast is hoping to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion, but the deal must first be approved by regulators. Monday, TF’s Berin Szoka appeared on NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show to debate Susan Crawford on how the deal would impact consumers. Here’s what NPR had to say about the episode:
Last week, the two largest cable TV operators announced plans to merge. The proposed new entity would have approximately 30 percent of all national pay television subscribers and also about a third of all broadband Internet subscribers. Some consumer advocates say that if the merger is approved, cable TV bills will go up and the new company will have too much control over program content, high speed Internet access and price. Regulatory approval is not a given. Both the Department of Justice and the FCC will weigh in. Diane and her guests talk about the proposed mega-merger and what it means for consumers.
Listen to the full episode, and read our reaction to the deal’s announcement.