Microsoft in the Media/Cable Industry: Comcast, Globo Relationships
- Dr. Roy Schestowitz
- 2008-09-04 19:09:31 UTC
- Modified: 2008-09-04 19:09:31 UTC
We last wrote about Comcast in the context of its relationship with Microsoft and the Microsoft-style committee stuffing (see links at the very bottom).
Fascinated by Microsoft's
virtual control of the media, we recently delved into the situation in Brazil [
1,
2]. More information then came through reports from a Brazilian reader,
seller_liar, who pointed out
this clear relationship between the Brazilian giant Globo and Microsoft Corporation. His observations, which you can find
here, give examples of the impact on media coverage. Microsoft turns out to have invested a fortune in Globo, but more interestingly, a transaction of $1 billion (investment) was also made with Comcast.
Microsoft Corp. made its first equity foray into the Latin American cable industry last week, buying a $126 million stake in Globo Cabo S.A., Brazil's leading MSO.
The investment in Globo Cabo is the latest in a series of buys this year that has seen Microsoft plunge full-force into cable. It deepened its U.S. cable presence in May when it agreed to invest $5 billion in AT&T Corp., following a $1 billion investment in Comcast Corp. in 1997.
This last bit may or may not explain Comcast's bias against Free software and net neutrality/Google. The issue was raised by clients, especially recently. Microsoft renewed those ties with Comcast several months ago.
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