The Comcast Era Begins At NBC. So What Happens Now?

The long anticipated–and hotly debated–deal that puts cable operator Comcast in control of NBC closes today. With the question of Keith Olbermann‘s future at MSNBC now settled, and NBC lifer Jeff Zucker gone, what moves to the front burner for Steve Burke, the new CEO of NBC Universal?

Comcast’s rise to power has caused concern among some die-hard MSNBC fans, who fear the new management may order a retreat from the network’s progressive political coverage. Susan Crawford, a professor at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo Law School is writing a book about Comcast’s acquisition of NBC Universal, and she tells USA Today folks on the left will be watching Burke’s moves closely. ”

People close to Comcast and Burke say the only politics likely to change at NBC–and all of the NBC Universal properties–is office politics. Comcast’s known as an operation that neither encourages nor tolerates employees who clash with bosses, as Olbermann was long described as doing. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times reports, “infusing Comcast’s and Burke’s management approach, one that encourages teamwork and takes a dim view of office politics, into the sprawling NBC Universal could take years.”

Beyond the culture shift, Comcast will now control some solid performers, like NBC’s TODAY and Nightly News–both top rated–and some struggling properties, like NBC’s primetime and many of the network’s owned-and-operated local television stations. In USA Today, David Lieberman suggests an investment in hyperlocal news–especially in cities where Comcast has cable and NBC owns a television station–may be part of the plan to boost profits and heighten competitive advantage:

A big question, though, is whether Comcast will expand the news operation. The most promising opportunity seems to be hyperlocal news: Comcast could feed stories produced by its local stations to channels or websites that would be distributed through Comcast’s cable and broadband services.

While none of Comcast’s specific plans have been made public, the overall objective has, as Burke told the Hollywood Reporter:

“With this set of assets,” said Burke, “there’s no reason why we can’t set the bar very high. Whatever we do, we should be in it to win it.”