Comcast CEO “Cautiously Optimistic” He Can Shove TWC Merger Down Regulators’ Throats

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We’re still months away from the FCC and the Justice Dept. completing their reviews (and hopefully putting the brakes on) the merger between the nation’s two largest cable companies. And even though the initial questions being asked by regulators show that the deal is not inevitable, Comcast’s CEO is counting on being able to convince the folks in D.C. that this alliance isn’t entirely unholy.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kabletown scion and mayor for life Brian Roberts told an audience at the 2014 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference that he’s “cautiously optimistic” that regulators will sign off on allowing the two lowest-rated pay-TV and broadband providers to combine into one beast that has even less incentive to improve.

“All of the cable deals have always gone through,” explained Roberts. “The process is underway in earnest and we’ve got many states and local communities to already approve of the transfer.”

So his reasoning is that because the FCC has, against all common sense, historically let the pay-TV and wired broadband industry consolidate to the point where there are only a few remaining companies and allowed those companies to exist in a market where competition is all but outlawed, it will do so again?

Sadly, he may be right.

After all, the FCC and DOJ did approve Comcast’s acquisition of NBC Universal, allowing the nation’s largest and crappiest cable operator to also become one of its largest and crappiest broadcasters.

Much like that deal, we assume the success of the TWC merger will depend on whether or not any of the current FCC commissioners are looking for a high-paying job at Comcast when they choose to re-enter the private sector.

by Chris Morran via Consumerist