USDOJ and five states challenged the joint venture of Comcast and NBC Universal. Comcase is the largest cable television company in the United States. Comcast also
offers Internet and telephone services to homes and businesses, and owns several popular cable channels, including regional sports channels and the E! Entertainment channel. NBC Universal controls television programs, local stations, production
facilities, cable channels including MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo and USA Network, and a major film studio. NBC Universal is also part owner of Hulu.com, which distributes television programming and other video over the Internet. The parties reached a settlement, and the FCC also reached a separate settlement with Comcast and NBC. The settlements impose a number of restrictions and limitations on the merger to ensure that competing distributors have fair access to NBC and NBCU content. The settlements also address several areas of the joint venture’s operations. The DOJ and states’ settlement particularly focuses on requiring Comcast/NBC to make content available to online video distributors; requires NBC to relinquish all management rights in connection with Hulu.com, a popular video website; and prohibits Comcast from retaliating against content providers who sell to online distributors, entering into exclusive agreements that might limit access to programs, and slowing broadband signals when broadband customers view non-Comcast content.