Advertising: Networks Bank on Comedies for 2012-13 Season

By Trefis: While subscriber additions across broadband, pay-TV and digital phone services were the primary focus of Comcast’s (NASDAQ:CMCSA) recently reported Q3 2011 earnings, its NBCUniversal division performed well and deserves a second look. While growth in its cable networks looked solid, the NBCUniversal’s broadcasting division posted flat growth in its ad revenue and was noticeably weak.

In announcing their lineups for the fall and beyond, the NBC and Fox networks almost mimic each other with singing competitions.

Zacks.com submits: Is Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) on the verge of getting regulatory approval to acquire a controlling stake in NBC Universal (NBCU)? A recent change at the helm of NBCU indicates this. Yesterday, Comcast and General Electric Co. (GE), the current owner of NBCU said in a joint statement that the existing COO of Comcast, Mr. Steve Burke will succeed the incumbent CEO of NBCU Mr. Jeff Zucker by 2010 end.

Zacks.com submits: A leading provider of online movie rental services, Netflix Inc. (NFLX) recently signed an expanded license agreement with General Electric’s (GE) NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution division.

Diane Mermigas submits:All the fuss about a robust advertising market is being checked by some harsh realities. First, how spending will be redistributed across exploding mobile devices, and second, how inflation and flattened auto sales are impacting the slowly recovering economy.

Slumping ratings, the lousy economy and increased competition from cable networks will make it tougher for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC to demand higher advertising rates in this year's sales season. Television's cliffhanger this year isn't "Who shot J.R.?" but how many bullets the broadcast networks might take.

NBC and Fox are the first of the big broadcast networks to present their coming schedules.

CNBC and Fox Business have been at loggerheads over guests for months now, and it's finally reached a "hysterical level", says the NY Post.