09.04.08
Gemini version available ♊︎Microsoft in the Media/Cable Industry: Comcast, Globo Relationships
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. █
Related articles:
- Comcast, Microsoft team up to serve smaller firms
- Comcast Gives Cold-Shoulder To Non-Profit School Running Linux
- Bipartisan FCC Majority Condemns Comcast’s Illegal Blocking
- Comcast faces FCC slap over P2P throttling
- FCC’s Martin: Comcast blocking was widespread
- Comcast Isn’t Net Neutral; Are They Liars, Too?
- Comcast admits paying attendees at FCC hearing
- Comcast stacked Net Neutrality meeting
- Allegations fly in FCC hearing aftermath
- Is Comcast’s BitTorrent filtering violating the law?
- Comcast to cap monthly consumer broadband
- FCC pelts Comcast with rotten veg
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