Comcast merger with NBC Universal a threat to indpendent content?

The folks over at Comcast are celebrating, but should we? The federal government just recently gave the green light for the merger of NBC Universal and Comcast. With NBC Universal now coming under the wing of Comcast, should the American public be concerned about the risk of losing diverse and varied internet content?

Mark Leccese, in his article “Comcast/NBC merger: Trouble or trivia?”, mentions various opinions on the topic, including that of Federal Communications Commission commissioner, Michael Copps. Michael Copps, a Democrat, believes that the merger is not in the best interest of American consumers. One of his points that I found to be interesting is his concern that the merger may act as “a stake in the heart of independent content production.” Mr. Copps is worried that the merger of NBC Universal and Comcast will lead Comcast to provide consumers with an internet that features characteristic traits borrowed from cable television, one of which is relatively non-diverse content.

I believe that Mr. Copps’ belief has some strength to it. On cable, only the shows that attract large, profitable audiences survive. This eliminates shows that serve small niche audiences, leaving them only to watch the shows that the majority of people favor. Also, only a limited number of large companies with deep pockets can afford to advertise on cable television. This means that audiences are receiving only a fraction of options for goods and services that exist.

While Mr. Copps’ belief may have some strength, I still believe that his concern is not likely to come true. The internet is already such a varied and diverse place that one company could not possibly decrease or substantially hinder the amount of independent content available online. People will often go online for entertainment that they cannot find on television. If Comcast increased the difficulty to access this content, they would inevitably drive their customers elsewhere. Also, online sources that provide diverse and varied content are both popular and profitable. Examples include Youtube.com and Blogger.com. Comcast has no reason to limit or restrict access to these websites. The internet’s independent content both draws people online and is profitable, both of which Comcast undoubtedly recognize.