Maxine Waters Leads Challenge Of Comcast-NBC Deal

Los Angeles-based U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters is leading a sizable group of congressional leaders in questioning federal approval for the proposed takeover of NBC Universal Inc. by Philadelphia-based cable and content company Comcast. Both entertainment conglomerates have a sizable presence in the L.A. area, where the issue will come to the fore Monday during a House Judiciary Committee public hearing on the deal. Waters, a member of the committee, is expected to be there.

The congresswoman, who has led about 69 fellow congress people in asking for more public scrutiny of the takeover, is concerned that too much communication power would be vested in one company.

"America has to make sure it never gets in the position that one big company will control what we see and hear," Waters told the Philadelphia Inquirer recently. "We cannot have the Internet controlled by any one conglomerate."

The Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice are reviewing the proposed, $30 billion takeover. A public FCC hearing on the matter was scheduled for July 13 in Chicago