Cable Operator Comcast to Purchase Controlling Stake in NBC Universal

As NBC Universal's audience has significantly decreased over the years to the point where it has fallen to fourth place in broadcast television ratings, executives have been trying to come up with a way to keep the network relevant. The Associated Press is reporting that cable television operator Comcast will purchase a controlling stake in NBC Universal in the near future, potentially as early as next week. This measure is viewed as a contingency plan in case technological developments are introduced in the future that would encourage viewers to turn away from cable subscriptions in favor of multimedia venues on the Internet.

Comcast is a cable television operator that currently serves approximately 25 percent of subscription television households in the United States and experts are projecting that they will purchase a 51 percent stake of NBC Universal. The Associated Press is reporting that the most appealing factor of purchasing a controlling stake in NBC Universal is the addition of coveted cable properties such as the USA Network, SyFy, the Weather Channel and CNBC.

Consulting creator at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, Walter Podrazik, commented on the historical importance of NBC Universal in the television structure by stating, "Without NBC, there wouldn't be broadcasting as we know it." With Comcast's pending purchase of controlling stake in NBC Universal, the broadcast television pioneer will be headed to cable.