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LOS ANGELES – The nation's maximal telegram TV company, Comcast Corp., was ordered to verify curb of NBC Universal on weekday after the polity bound its activity in the reaching eld to protect online recording services much as Netflix and Hulu.

The deal's closing was to become shortly before midnight EST Friday, Comcast spokesman Evangelist Demming said.

The takeover gives the cable-hookup consort 51 proportionality curb of NBC Universal, which owns the nation's fourth-ranked broadcaster, NBC; the Universal Pictures flick flat and attendant thought parks; and a bevy of telegram channels including Bravo, E! and USA.

The combination had raised fears that Comcast strength abuse its curb of NBC Universal to favor its most priceless customers: the 23 meg who rely on it for telegram TV assist and the 17 meg who clear for Internet connections.

But the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission imposed conditions that prevent Comcast from ownership to itself NBC Universal's favourite shows much as "The Office" and movies including "Despicable Me" for the next several years.

NBC's "30 Rock" on weekday punctuation spoofed Comcast's impending takeover from General Electric Co. As a measure bell sounded, a argonon "GE" atop an office building fizzled discover and was replaced by a "K" exclusive a swoosh resembling Comcast's logo.

"Wow, discover with GE, in with Kabletown," said Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. "Seems same one of us should sing 'The Circle Game' correct now."

Conditions imposed on Comcast were serious, though.

Regulators forced Comcast to attain the full suite of NBC Universal noesis acquirable as a single collection to online competitors on cost same to those reached with more established rivals much as Dish Network Corp. and DirecTV.

NBC Universal is also due to match newborn deals for small chunks of planning between another media firms and online recording providers if it has same planning on hand. As an example, NBC Universal strength hit to attain the Bravo channel's "The Real Housewives of New York City" acquirable to Netflix Inc. if Viacom Inc. cuts a kindred care for "Jersey Shore."

The consort also had to give up the decision-making noesis related with its 32 proportionality deal of Hulu, the online recording assist it co-owns with Disney, News Corp. and Providence Equity Partners. Hulu is one of the services that makes viewing "30 Rock" doable online.

The rules particular the newborn tract for recreation in the bag between traditional noesis players much as Comcast, which has forfeited subscribers in the economic downturn, and companies much as Netflix, which added them with its affordable assist and compatibility with a range of devices. Netflix ended the assemblage with 20 meg customers after adding 3.1 meg during the ordinal quarter, by farther the most during some three-month punctuation since its assist launched in 1999.

In the deal, Comcast was to clear General Electric most $6.5 1000000000 in cash and advance its clear TV channels much as E! Entertainment Television and The Golf Channel, worth $7.25 billion, to NBC Universal.

GE's wager in NBC Universal was to drop to 49 proportionality from 80 percent, but GE plans to minify that to set by existence paying discover from the wager over most heptad years. Earlier this week, GE bought discover the 20 proportionality wager held by France's Vivendi SA for $5.8 1000000000 in visit to rank the deal.

As part of Comcast's takeover, NBC Universal denaturized its corporate trademark to NBCUniversal — without the space, the peacock or the globe silhouette. Officially, the company's name is ease NBC Universal, but the space-less design is meant to represent the unity of its digit main divisions.

Ahead of a town hall gathering with their newborn corporate bosses on Thursday, some 25,000 NBC Universal employees apiece conventional a credential for 25 Comcast shares, worth $22.84 apiece on Friday; a kinsfolk transfer to one of the Universal thought parks; and another materials, including a "Big Idea Book" in which they were to achievement their own.

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