With all due respect — you're the extortionist!
That's the word from several popular cable networks that fired back at Comcast on Wednesday after the country's No. 1 pay-TV provider labeled critics of its $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable a bunch of "extortionists" looking to shake it down .
Dish, Discovery Communications and Netflix — each called out by Comcast in its regulatory filing — angrily shot back that the claims made by the cable and broadband provider are ridiculous.
The companies, which have voiced their opposition to the mega-merger, said they're simply exercising their First Amendment rights to raise questions.
Further, the critics believe Comcast is showing its true colors with the intimidation on display in its FCC filing.
"The self-proclaimed king of cable [Comcast] is acting like Tony Soprano: killing its enemies and intimidating its friends," remarked one cable industry executive, who said he was stunned by Comcast's decision to go on the offensive.
Comcast certainly fired both barrels at its critics.
"The significance of this extortion lies in not just the sheer audacity of some of the demands," but also that the entities have no worries as long as their criteria are met, read Comcast's filing.
The critics just want to win better business concessions in order to keep silent about the merger, Comcast said in the filing.
A combined Comcast-TWC would control 1-in-3 cable TV homes and 36 percent of US broadband service.
Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, now representing Common Cause, thinks the tough talk might backfire.
"They have paid a lot of money for the advice behind this submission, but it may cost them even more," Copps told The Post. "People see them being aggressive—they've had their fill of the [promotional] ads."
Also weighing in on Comcast's aggressive filing were Glenn Beck's The Blaze, Veria Living and nonprofit interest group Public Knowledge. Comcast is the entity with all the leverage here, they said.
Here are excerpts of reaction to the Comcast filing:
- Netflix: "It is not extortion to demand that Comcast provide its own customers the broadband speeds they've paid for so they can enjoy Netflix. It is extortion when Comcast fails to provide its own customers the broadband speed they've paid for unless Netflix also pays a ransom."
- Discovery: "We stand by our concerns that Comcast could use its enhanced leverage from the proposed merger to impose onerous terms that jeopardize the ability of independent programmers like Discovery to continue investing in a diverse portfolio of content and brands."
- The Blaze: "Faced with overwhelming public opposition and thousands of legal filings from varied interests, Comcast has resorted to disparaging those who raise legitimate public policy concerns about the transaction."
- Veria Living: "For a giant like Comcast — which is about to control 28 of the nation's top 30 markets — to accuse us of extortion is absurd."
- Public Knowledge: "Comcast is treating Americans' concerns about the merger like it treats its customers: By ignoring their complaints and giving them a sales pitch."
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