NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vivendi CEO Jean-Marie Messier told a jury Friday he made mistakes in his troubled bid to turn the French water company into a global media giant, but he never misled shareholders about the risks. AP – Jean- Marie Messier, former Chairman and CEO of French conglomerate Vivendi exits Manhattan federal court with Crystal Delaval … {”s” : “cmcsa,viv”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} Messier said he strove in good faith to build the company, but he didn’t foresee technological limitations and worldwide financial problems that contributed to its near-bankruptcy in 2002. “Some of my management decisions turned wrong, but fraud? No. Never. Never. Never,” he said, testifying in a federal lawsuit filed for thousands of investors who say Vivendi hid its worsening finances. Vivendi was mainly a water company when Messier became its chief executive in 1996. An investment banker who had specialized in media and communications interests, he embarked on a buyout binge that included the Universal film studios and music label in the United States, European pay-TV station Canal Plus, a French publishing arm and a major French cell-phone operator. Messier became a star of the French business world. But the acquisition spree saddled the company with billions of dollars in debt, and its shares lost more than 80 percent of their value between 2000 and 2002, when Messier was forced out. Vivendi nearly went bankrupt before selling many of its businesses to survive. The investors say executives knew the company was in trouble but kept shareholders in the dark. Their lawyers have contrasted internal documents warning about the company’s problems with public assurances that it was in good shape. The company’s lawyers have said it always had enough cash and credit to pay its bills and always followed accounting rules. Messier told the court he envisioned Vivendi blending entertainment with such communications technology as cell phones. But the ideas proved to be ahead of the technology of the time, and the company was jolted by such events as the financial shock following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, he said. “Yes, there were risks. There’s always risk when you try to implement a strategy,” he said, testifying in English rather than his native French. “But these risks, they were disclosed.” Claims that he duped investors, pushed the company to the brink of ruin and engineered losses for shareholders are hurtful and “outrageous,” he said. “I did my best, my very best. And sitting here today, I’m just sad it did not prove to be enough,” he said. Messier, 52, is expected to continue testifying for several days. He now runs a financial consulting business. Separately, Messier and other former top executives were ordered last month to stand trial in France on charges of misleading investors. Meanwhile, Vivendi SA is currently weighing whether to sell its 20-percent stake in NBC Universal in a deal that would help clear the way for Comcast Corp., the biggest U.S. cable TV operator, to create one of the world’s most powerful media companies. Follow this link: Ex-Vivendi CEO: I made mistakes but never misled (AP)

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By Jui Chakravorty and Anupreeta Das NEW YORK (Reuters) – General Electric and Vivendi are moving closer to a deal on NBC Universal, with Vivendi agreeing to accept payment for just one-third of its stake until a related deal with Comcast closes, according to a source familiar with the situation. Talks between Vivendi SA and General Electric Co have been holding up Comcast Corp’s plan to buy a controlling stake in NBCU. Vivendi has to agree to sell its 20 percent stake to GE before the Comcast deal, which would be the biggest in media this year, can progress. While Vivendi and GE have not agreed on a price yet, the French media company’s acceptance of a staggered payment schedule shows it is willing to compromise to pave the way for Comcast, the largest U.S. cable service provider. Vivendi had previously asked to be paid fully upfront to avoid regulatory risk — U.S. antitrust enforcers are expected to take at least a year to scrutinize the Comcast-NBCU deal. Vivendi values its stake in NBCU, acquired in 2004, at $6.1 billion, according to sources familiar with the situation. One said GE’s latest offer is about $500 million lower, while two people described the gap as less than $1 billion. Comcast, which has long coveted owning media content, has been in talks for months with GE, which owns 80 percent of NBCU and has been under pressure from some shareholders to divest its media business. The plan is for GE to sell Comcast a 51 percent stake in a proposed joint venture. Comcast would contribute its cable networks and $4 billion to $6 billion in cash to the venture. The two companies have agreed to value NBC Universal at about $30 billion, sources previously told Reuters. But for that deal to happen, GE has to buy out Vivendi’s stake first. PUT OPTION Every year between November and December, Vivendi has to decide whether to exercise its “put” option to sell its stake. It could also demand an initial public offering for NBC Universal instead, putting it in a strong bargaining position. Vivendi acquired Brazilian telecoms group GVT in a $4.8 billion deal last week. “Following the GVT deal, we believe Vivendi will ultimately sell its stake in NBCU, but not at any price … Similarly, GE needs Vivendi’s stake for Comcast for the tie-up to go through and we see a compromise as likely,” UBS wrote in a note. Differences in valuation and when Vivendi should get paid have slowed the talks, the sources said, dampening hopes of GE and Comcast announcing a deal before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday next Thursday. “There seems a good deal of posturing on all sides,” Citi analysts wrote in a note on Friday, adding they valued Vivendi’s stake at $5.9 billion. “Vivendi’s liquidity rights (right to force an IPO at some point) may well be unappealing to Comcast as a potential majority owner of NBCU over time. As such, we think that Vivendi’s leverage in negotiations will be reasonably strong,” the analysts wrote.  Continued… Read the r est here: GE, Vivendi make progress on NBC Universal

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* GE to pay Vivendi 1/3 value of stake as interim payment * Two sides are $500 mln-$1 bln apart on stake valuation * Vivendi values NBC stake at $6.1 bln * Vivendi’s OK needed before Comcast deal can progress (Adds details on Vivendi-GE talks, changes dateline, byline) By Jui Chakravorty and Anupreeta Das NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) – General Electric and Vivendi are moving closer to a deal on NBC Universal, with Vivendi agreeing to accept payment for just one-third of its stake until a related deal with Comcast closes, according to a source familiar with the situation. Talks between Vivendi SA ( VIV.PA ) and General Electric Co ( GE.N ) have been holding up Comcast Corp’s ( CMCSA.O ) plan to buy a controlling stake in NBCU. Vivendi has to agree to sell its 20 percent stake to GE before the Comcast deal, which would be the biggest in media this year, can progress. While Vivendi and GE have not agreed on a price yet, the French media company’s acceptance of a staggered payment schedule shows it is willing to compromise to pave the way for Comcast, the largest U.S cable service provider. Vivendi had previously asked to be paid fully upfront to avoid regulatory risk — U.S. antitrust enforcers are expected to take at least a year to scrutinize the Comcast-NBCU deal. Vivendi values its stake in NBCU, acquired in 2004, at $6.1 billion, according to sources familiar with the situation. One said GE’s latest offer is about $500 million lower, while two people described the gap as less than $1 billion. Comcast, which has long coveted owning media content, has been in talks for months with GE, which owns 80 percent of NBCU and has been under pressure from some shareholders to divest its media business. The plan is for GE to sell Comcast a 51 percent stake in a proposed joint venture. Comcast would contribute its cable networks and $4 billion to $6 billion in cash to the venture. The two companies have agreed to value NBC Universal at about $30 billion, sources previously told Reuters. But for that deal to happen, GE has to buy out Vivendi’s stake first. PUT OPTION Every year between November and December, Vivendi has to decide whether to exercise its “put” option to sell its stake. It could also demand an initial public offering for NBC Universal instead, putting it in a strong bargaining position. Vivendi acquired Brazilian telecoms group GVT ( GVTT3.SA ) in a $4.8 billion deal last week. “Following the GVT deal, we believe Vivendi will ultimately sell its stake in NBCU, but not at any price … Similarly, GE needs Vivendi’s stake for Comcast for the tie-up to go through and we see a compromise as likely,” UBS wrote in a note. Differences in valuation and when Vivendi should get paid have slowed the talks, the sources said, dampening hopes of GE and Comcast announcing a deal before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday next Thursday. “There seems a good deal of posturing on all sides,” Citi analysts wrote in a note on Friday, adding they valued Vivendi’s stake at $5.9 billion. “Vivendi’s liquidity rights (right to force an IPO at some point) may well be unappealing to Comcast as a potential majority owner of NBCU over time. As such, we think that Vivendi’s leverage in negotiations will be reasonably strong,” the analysts wrote. NBC declined to comment while Vivendi did not return calls seeking comment. GE and Comcast have ironed out all their issues and are now waiting for GE and Vivendi to reach a resolution, sources said. Neither side is expected to walk away, the sources said, but the hold-up makes the timing of a deal unclear. The proposed joint venture is expected to be able generate cash to pay down $9 billion in debt that would be added to its books as part of the deal. It would use that debt to buy the rest of the company from GE. GE has negotiated a redemption option that would give it the right to redeem all or part of its stake in the new company in exchange for cash at the three-and-a-half year mark and at a seven-year mark, sources have said. The terms of the deal allow Comcast’s cash payment to be determined partly by NBC Universal’s financial performance. If the unit’s performance worsens between the signing of the deal and the closing, Comcast could end up paying less, sources previously told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon in Paris and Georgina Prodhan and Quentin Webb in London; editing by Matthew Lewis, Tiffany Wu and Andre Grenon) © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved Follow this link: UPDATE 4-GE, Vivendi make progress on NBC Universal

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A deal for Comcast Corp. to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal and create one of the most powerful media companies in the world is taking longer than expected as the current owners tussle over price. AP – FILE – In this Dec. 3, 2007 file photo, a view of the headquarters of Vivendi SA in … {”s” : “cmcsa,ge,viv”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} Further complicating matters is Vivendi SA’s recent public statement that it might not sell its minority stake in NBC Universal at all. Such a decision could foil General Electric Co.’s plans to then sell a majority interest to Comcast. Comcast, the largest cable TV operator in the United States, wants NBC Universal largely for its lucrative cable channels, but it isn’t likely to raise its offer. If GE had to spend more money to get Vivendi to sell, it will have to absorb the additional cost. That’s because Comcast’s agreement with GE is “set” and separate from the Vivendi talks, according to a person who is familiar with the situation but spoke on condition of anonymity because the person is not authorized to disclose private negotiations. Plans currently call for GE, which owns 80 percent of NBC Universal, to buy Vivendi’s 20 percent stake and sell 51 percent ownership in the entire unit to Comcast for about $5 billion to $7 billion in cash. Comcast would contribute cable networks such as E! and Style to a new NBC Universal joint venture with GE, raising Comcast’s bid to about $15 billion. The new NBC Universal would carry $8 billion to $10 billion of debt and operate under Comcast as its majority owner. But to make it work, Vivendi first has to sell its stake, and a top Vivendi executive told investors at a conference in Barcelona on Thursday that it doesn’t have to sell NBC Universal this year. “We’re not forced to do anything,” Vivendi Chief Financial Officer Philippe Capron said. “We can also just say no.” Vivendi, a media and entertainment conglomerate based in Paris, could be posturing because all sides have a reason to do the deal. GE, a technology, media and financial services company with headquarters in Fairfield, Conn., wants to unload NBC Universal, a unit that doesn’t fit in well with its other businesses. The cash would help prop up its financing unit, GE Capital, which posted big losses from real estate and other industries during the financial meltdown. Vivendi also could use additional funds especially after last week, when it took a controlling stake in Brazilian telecommunications operator GVT SA for $4.2 billion. The French company has called its NBC Universal holding as “non-core.” Comcast, meanwhile, wants to beef up its content assets. NBC Universal spans the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; cable channels such as Bravo and CNBC; the Universal Pictures movie studio and Universal theme parks. The acquisition would turn the Philadelphia-based cable TV operator into one of the world’s largest entertainment companies. An agreement between Comcast and GE was supposed to be announced as early as this week. But now the parties are bracing for talks to stretch into December. Vivendi’s Capron said no decision has yet been made. “We’re not there yet. I read the papers like all of you so I learn about all the negotiations with GE that way. Apparently they’re close to a deal with Comcast, which means that they would need to be close to a deal with us,” he said. Capron said Vivendi had no interest in being part of a new Comcast-controlled NBC Universal, but he said the decision on whether to exit the company is “a bit more complex” this year. Vivendi has an annual option to dispose of its stake in NBC Universal. This year’s window runs from Nov. 15 to Dec. 10. GE has right of first refusal and is expected to buy that stake. However, if Vivendi does not agree on a price with GE, Vivendi can either hold on to its shares or sell them to other investors through an initial public offering. Either option could derail the Comcast-GE deal. “This year’s a bit different because this decision that we have to take in the next three weeks is in conflict with the GE-Comcast deal,” Capron said. Keller reported from Paris. Visit link: GE, Vivendi talks over NBC Universal stretch on (AP)

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PARIS/NEW YORK (Reuters) – General Electric and Vivendi are at least $1 billion apart in their valuation of the French group’s stake in NBC Universal, the Financial Times said, dampening hopes of a swift sale. Analysts believe that after Vivendi’s recent costly acquisition of Brazil’s GVT, a compromise over valuation is nevertheless likely, though they feel selling the 20 percent stake is not vital for Vivendi’s financial health. “Following the GVT deal, we believe Vivendi will ultimately sell its stake in NBCU, but not at any price … Similarly GE needs Vivendi’s stake for Comcast for the tie up to go through and we see a compromise as likely,” UBS said in a note. Vivendi officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The company’s shares were down 0.4 percent at 19.08 euros at 1054 GMT, underperforming a 0.4-percent rise in France’s CAC bluechip index. The differences dampen hopes of a quick resolution to a stand-off holding up Comcast’s planned bid for a majority stake in the U.S. broadcast group, the newspaper reported. GE owns 80 percent of NBCU. On Thursday, Vivendi’s Chief Financial Officer Philippe Capron said the French group was close to selling its stake in NBCU but that its board had not yet made a decision as the situation was “complex.” Selling its NBCU stake would give Vivendi more financial headroom, notably if it were to seize further acquisition opportunities in emerging countries, Capron said. Vivendi, which last week gained control of GVT in a deal valuing the Brazilian company at $4.8 billion, has made clear it would tap available credit lines of 6 billion euros for the acquisition. But proceeds from a future NBCU sale could be used to help the group stick to a policy of protecting its investment grade rating and strong dividend if it were to seal more deals in emerging countries or buy out Canal Pus minorities. “Both for the sake of sentiment and to safeguard the dividend, we believe Vivendi needs to do a deal,” Citi said in a recent note. Citing people familiar with the negotiations, the FT reported that GE and Comcast, the cable operator that wants to take a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal, have been eager to unveil an agreement before next Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Although GE and Comcast have been working toward an announcement on Monday, GE and Vivendi remain $1 billion to $2 billion apart on the valuation of the French group’s 20 percent stake in NBC Universal, the report said. Comcast’s offer values NBC Universal at about $30 billion, implying a $6 billion valuation for Vivendi’s stake. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Editing by Sitaraman Shankar) Go here to see the original: GE, Vivendi differ on NBCU valuation: report

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PARIS/NEW YORK (Reuters) – General Electric (NYSE: GE – News ) and Vivendi (Paris: VIV.PA – News ) are at least $1 billion apart in their valuation of the French group’s stake in NBC Universal, the Financial Times said, dampening hopes of a swift sale. Reuters – An NBC sign on the General Electric building in New York, October 5, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar … {”s” : “^fchi,cmcsa,ge”,”k” : “c10,l10,p20,t10″,”o” : “”,”j” : “”} Analysts believe that after Vivendi’s recent costly acquisition of Brazil’s GVT (Sao Paolo: GVTT3.SA – News ), a compromise over valuation is nevertheless likely, though they feel selling the 20 percent stake is not vital for Vivendi’s financial health. “Following the GVT deal, we believe Vivendi will ultimately sell its stake in NBCU, but not at any price … Similarly GE needs Vivendi’s stake for Comcast for the tie up to go through and we see a compromise as likely,” UBS said in a note. Vivendi officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The company’s shares were down 0.4 percent at 19.08 euros at 1054 GMT, underperforming a 0.4-percent rise in France’s CAC (Paris: ^FCHI – News ) bluechip index. The differences dampen hopes of a quick resolution to a stand-off holding up Comcast’s (NasdaqGS: CMCSA – News ) planned bid for a majority stake in the U.S. broadcast group, the newspaper reported. GE owns 80 percent of NBCU. On Thursday, Vivendi’s Chief Financial Officer Philippe Capron said the French group was close to selling its stake in NBCU but that its board had not yet made a decision as the situation was “complex.” Selling its NBCU stake would give Vivendi more financial headroom, notably if it were to seize further acquisition opportunities in emerging countries, Capron said. Vivendi, which last week gained control of GVT in a deal valuing the Brazilian company at $4.8 billion, has made clear it would tap available credit lines of 6 billion euros for the acquisition. But proceeds from a future NBCU sale could be used to help the group stick to a policy of protecting its investment grade rating and strong dividend if it were to seal more deals in emerging countries or buy out Canal Pus minorities. “Both for the sake of sentiment and to safeguard the dividend, we believe Vivendi needs to do a deal,” Citi said in a recent note. Citing people familiar with the negotiations, the FT reported that GE and Comcast, the cable operator that wants to take a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal, have been eager to unveil an agreement before next Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Although GE and Comcast have been working toward an announcement on Monday, GE and Vivendi remain $1 billion to $2 billion apart on the valuation of the French group’s 20 percent stake in NBC Universal, the report said. Comcast’s offer values NBC Universal at about $30 billion, implying a $6 billion valuation for Vivendi’s stake. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Editing by Sitaraman Shankar) Read more from the original source: GE, Vivendi differ on NBCU valuation: report (Reuters)

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – General Electric (NYSE: GE – News ) and Vivendi (Paris: VIV.PA – News ) are at least $1 billion apart in their valuation of the French group’s stake in NBC Universal, the Financial Times said on Thursday. The difference dampens hopes of a quick resolution to a stand-off holding up Comcast’s (NasdaqGS: CMCSA – News ) planned bid for a majority stake in the U.S. broadcast group, the newspaper reported. Citing people familiar with the negotiations, the newspaper reported that GE and Comcast, the cable operator that wants to take a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal, have been eager to unveil an agreement before next Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Although GE and Comcast have been working toward an announcement on Monday, GE and Vivendi remain $1 billion to $2 billion apart on the valuation of the French group’s 20 percent stake in NBC Universal, the report said. Comcast’s offer values NBC Universal at about $30 billion, implying a $6 billion valuation for Vivendi’s stake. Vivendi in June estimated the value of the stake at $6.3 billion, so would have to take a further writedown should it receive less, the FT said. However, a 2004 agreement between the companies stipulates that any sale must be conducted at “public market values.” This would treat Comcast’s offer as a private deal that would not influence the valuation, the report said. The newspaper said GE’s negotiating position is understood to be that current media sector multiples would imply a price of $4 billion-$5 billion. Independent analysts’ estimates vary, but Bernstein Research has valued NBC Universal at $27 billion, suggesting Vivendi could expect $5.4 billion for its holding. Under an agreement struck when Vivendi sold Universal Studios to the GE-controlled NBC in 2004, Vivendi can force an initial public offering of its stake unless GE offers a more attractive price, the FT reported (Reporting by Steve James; Editing by Lincoln Feast) Read the original: GE, Vivendi $1 billion apart over NBC Universal stake: report (Reuters)

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BARCELONA (Reuters) – Vivendi could exit from U.S. media group NBCU Universal as it has no intention to be part of the future joint venture being discussed by Comcast and General Electric, its chief financial officer said on Thursday. Philippe Capron also told the Morgan Stanley Media & Telecoms conference that selling its 20 percent stake in NBCU would give Vivendi “additional financial headroom” after it gained control of Brazil’s telecoms operator GVT last week. “We are not interested in staying onboard a new GE-Comcast ownership of NBCU … we will exit and it will give us more headroom,” Capron said, adding “We are not there yet.” Capron later told Reuters on the sideline of the conference: “We have never been closer to the end of this story.” But Vivendi’s board had made no decision on the matter, he said. When asked if negotiations over NBCU were about the price, he said: “It often is.” General Electric, which owns 80 percent of NBCU, and Comcast Corp have agreed on the structure of the board for the proposed joint venture with NBC Universal, a person familiar with the matter said last week. Any deal between GE and Comcast would depend on Vivendi selling its NBCU stake. Each year between mid-November and mid-December, Vivendi has to decide whether to exercise its put option to sell the stake. This year, Vivendi is eager to dispose of the stake and is determined to get good value for it, sources have said. Last week, Vivendi snatched Brazilian telecom group GVT from under Telefonica’s nose in a dramatic and high-priced purchase. Vivendi’s bid values GVT at 7.2 billion reais, or about $4.8 billion against Telefonica’s offer of $4 billion. Faced with a more costly acquisition pricetag, Vivendi was however more likely to now sell its holding in U.S. media group NBCU to help fund the deal, some analysts have said. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Georgina Prodhan ; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter) Read more from the original source: Vivendi eyes NBC Universal exit: CFO

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A solid majority of Americans recognize the need to help the environment, although there are some things — like buying a hybrid car or taking mass transit — that people often talk about, but don’t necessarily act on. That’s shown in a survey of more than 1,000 adults that sought to gauge attitudes about the environment. The telephone poll, conducted for The Associated Press and NBC Universal, found that 60 percent of those surveyed felt either a “great deal” or “a lot” of personal responsibility to protect the environment, while 37 percent rarely, if ever, even thought about the impact of their actions on the Earth’s health. Nearly 8 of 10 people who were concerned about environmental protection said they believe their actions are helping to protect the environment, according to the poll released Tuesday. It found that people have largely accepted recycling bottles and cans — about 7 in 10 people said they’re likely to do it — and are inclined to find ways to cut electricity or heating costs, also to benefit the environment. A little more than 6 of 10 said buying energy-efficient appliances, using recycled paper products and car pooling also help a lot. A little more than half said it would make a lot of difference to turn down the thermostat, reuse water bottles and take your own reusable bag when grocery shopping. While many of the respondents said these actions would help the environment “a great deal,” or at least “a lot,” when asked about some specific actions, the gap widened between what they believe to be important and what they have any intention of doing. In some cases, the inability to turn their green priorities into action reflected geography or economics. Take the matter of car pooling or using mass transit. More than 6 in 10 people said they thought it would help the environment. Yet only 3 in 10 said they were very likely to do it, and 4 in 10 said they were not at all likely to car pool or take mass transit. A third of those surveyed lived in rural areas where mass transit was generally not readily available and where car pooling would be less likely. Yet, only 44 percent of urbanites and 32 percent of people living in the suburbs also said they were very likely to use mass transit or car pool. Janice Meehl, 54, a fourth-grade teacher in the town of North East, Pa., and one of the participants in the survey, said she fervently recycles bottles and cans, keeps the thermostat down and years ago added insulation to her all-electric home, cutting her energy bill in half. It saves money but also “it’s doing the right thing for the environment. They go hand in hand,” she said. While she commutes 70 miles round-trip to work each day, she says mass transit or car pooling “is not an option. If it were, would I use it? Probably.” Like Meehl, 7 in 10 people surveyed said they thought adding energy-saving insulation in their homes would be a good idea for the environment. But only half said they were very likely to do it and 1 in 5 respondents would be highly unlikely to add insulation. In some cases, respondents said the structure of their house prevents more insulation from being added easily. About 45 percent of those surveyed embraced the idea of gas-electric hybrid cars, but only 1 in 5 would be very likely to buy such a vehicle, and half said they were “not at all likely” to buy one. “They’re too expensive right now,” said Vaughan Oliver, 65, of Mount Vernon, Ky. “You would have to have one for years and years and years to make it feasible to pay for itself.” Oliver, interviewed as he drove his Jeep Cherokee down Interstate 65 south of Lexington, said he might consider a hybrid “in another 10 years,” when he says he’ll be more secure that one would not cause him a problem. Today, gas-electric hybrids can carry a $4,000 to $7,000 or more price premium over similar gasoline-powered vehicles. The poll also found: –72 percent were very likely to recycle cans and bottles. –63 percent were very likely to turn down thermostats. –62 percent were very likely to buy energy-efficient appliances. –59 percent were very likely to use cold water for clothes washing. –59 percent were very likely to buy recycled paper products. More than half said it would help the environment if people brought their own shopping bags to stores, and 46 percent said they were very likely to do so, while 25 percent ruled it out. NBC Universal’s sponsorship of the poll was related to their “Green Is Universal” week of programming about environmental issues. The poll was conducted Nov. 5-9 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media. It involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,006 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. AP Polling Director Trevor Tompson and Associated Press writer Dina Cappiello contributed to this report. The poll: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com and http://www.greenisuniversal.com Read this articl e: AP Poll: Sometimes it isn’t easy being green (AP)

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* NBC bid makes sense for Comcast – News Corp’s Carey * Deal to have significant regulatory baggage – Carey * Regulators not likely to ask for asset sale – Carey * Deal will cause “enormous debate” – Liberty’s Maffei (Adds Liberty Media CEO) By Yinka Adegoke NEW YORK, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Executives from two top media companies on Thursday cautioned that Comcast Corp ( CMCSA.O ) could face serious antitrust questions if it were to acquire control of NBC Universal. News Corp ( NWSA.O ) President Chase Carey and Liberty Media Chief Executive Greg Maffei, in separate presentations at a conference, both said such a deal could prove a winner for Comcast, but also raised concerns about regulatory hurdles. Comcast and General Electric Co ( GE.N ) are in talks to on a deal that would give the cable operator a 51 percent stake in a $30 billion NBC Universal joint venture, according to people familiar with the discussions. Comcast would contribute its cable networks and $4 billion to $6 billion in cash. Carey, the No. 2 executive at News Corp and a media industry veteran, said he would be “stunned” if such a deal did not encounter “fairly significant regulatory baggage.” News Corp itself is said to have previously looked at NBC Universal but has since backed off, according to media reports. Speaking at the Money & Media Conference in New York, Carey said a deal for NBC Universal would make sense for Comcast. He also said it was unlikely Comcast would be asked to sell any assets as a condition for approval. Instead, he said regulators would likely focus on making certain that Comcast ensures “fair access” for rivals to the content it controls as well as fair access to the largest distribution network in the United States. If Comcast, the No. 1 U.S cable operator, struck a deal for NBC Universal, it would gain control over a broadcast network as well as cable networks, a studio and local TV stations. Given the size and reach of the combination, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission as well as antitrust regulators and possibly Congress would likely review the deal. Carey himself is no stranger to antitrust reviews. He previously held top positions at U.S. satellite TV operator DirecTV Group Inc ( DTV.O ), in which News Corp purchased a controlling interest in 2003, following a regulatory review. Carey said other issues that might come up include Net neutrality, which advocates push to ensure that Internet service providers do not discriminate or favor any content moving over their networks. Comcast is also the largest residential Internet service provider in the United States.  Continued… Original post: UPDATE 1-Comcast/NBC deal to have regulatory baggage-rivals

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* NBC bid makes sense for Comcast – News Corp’s Carey * Deal to have significant regulatory baggage – Carey * Regulators not likely to ask for asset sale – Carey * Deal will cause “enormous debate” – Liberty’s Maffei (Adds Liberty Media CEO) By Yinka Adegoke NEW YORK, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Executives from two top media companies on Thursday cautioned that Comcast Corp ( CMCSA.O ) could face serious antitrust questions if it were to acquire control of NBC Universal. News Corp ( NWSA.O ) President Chase Carey and Liberty Media Chief Executive Greg Maffei, in separate presentations at a conference, both said such a deal could prove a winner for Comcast, but also raised concerns about regulatory hurdles. Comcast and General Electric Co ( GE.N ) are in talks to on a deal that would give the cable operator a 51 percent stake in a $30 billion NBC Universal joint venture, according to people familiar with the discussions. Comcast would contribute its cable networks and $4 billion to $6 billion in cash. Carey, the No. 2 executive at News Corp and a media industry veteran, said he would be “stunned” if such a deal did not encounter “fairly significant regulatory baggage.” News Corp itself is said to have previously looked at NBC Universal but has since backed off, according to media reports. Speaking at the Money & Media Conference in New York, Carey said a deal for NBC Universal would make sense for Comcast. He also said it was unlikely Comcast would be asked to sell any assets as a condition for approval. Instead, he said regulators would likely focus on making certain that Comcast ensures “fair access” for rivals to the content it controls as well as fair access to the largest distribution network in the United States. If Comcast, the No. 1 U.S cable operator, struck a deal for NBC Universal, it would gain control over a broadcast network as well as cable networks, a studio and local TV stations. Given the size and reach of the combination, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission as well as antitrust regulators and possibly Congress would likely review the deal. Carey himself is no stranger to antitrust reviews. He previously held top positions at U.S. satellite TV operator DirecTV Group Inc ( DTV.O ), in which News Corp purchased a controlling interest in 2003, following a regulatory review. Carey said other issues that might come up include Net neutrality, which advocates push to ensure that Internet service providers do not discriminate or favor any content moving over their networks. Comcast is also the largest residential Internet service provider in the United States.  Continued… Original post: UPDATE 1-Comcast/NBC deal to have regulatory baggage-rivals

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* Regulatory approval could come with conditions * Conditions could hurt JV synergies * Company expects review to take 9 to 12 months * Comcast could offer children’s, minority programs * Comcast could be forced to share content with rivals (For more Reuters DEALTALKs, click [DEALTALK/]) By Yinka Adegoke and Jui Chakravorty NEW YORK, Nov 11 (Reuters) – Comcast Corp’s ( CMCSA.O ) bid for a controlling stake in NBC Universal to create a media powerhouse could be hurt by conflicting interests on Capitol Hill and conditions that hurt synergies, but the deal will likely be approved by regulators after a lengthy review. Comcast and General Electric Co ( GE.N ) have been in talks to reach a deal that would give the cable operator a 51 percent stake in a NBC Universal venture. Comcast would contribute its cable networks and $4 billion to $6 billion in cash. The two sides recently agreed to value NBC Universal at about $30 billion, sources previously told Reuters. Final terms of a deal are expected to be announced in the coming days, according to one person close to the talks. But many months are likely to pass between signing and closing. “Cable bashing is a nonpartisan sport,” said Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett. A deal would not only face a review by anti-trust regulators and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, but it would also attract interest from Congressional committees in the middle of an election year, Moffett said. “It is very likely that FCC regulators will take a close review of this deal,” Christopher Vollmer, a partner at Booz & Co, said. “It’s big, it’s high profile and it involves both content and distribution assets.” The FCC could force Comcast to continue providing content to competitors such as Verizon Communications ( VZ.N ) and DISH Network ( DISH.O ), even if they are unable to agree on affiliate fees. “My fear is they could lose their leverage in negotiations,” said Steve Birenberg of Northlake Capital Management, who sold his Comcast holdings in December and is waiting to see how low the stock goes before getting back in.  Continued… See the original post: DEALTALK-FCC conditions on Comcast-NBC could hurt synergy

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