More than 200 TV stations affiliated with NBC have asked federal regulators to impose conditions on Comcast’s proposed takeover of the broadcaster to ensure they aren’t harmed in the deal. The affiliates say they want guarantees that major sports events will continue to be carried on NBC’s free airwaves and not switched to Comcast cable channels such as Versus. Comcast announced in December it will pay about $13.75 billion to gain control of NBC Universal from General Electric. The government is reviewing the deal. Comcast spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice says the company has already pledged to continue to support over-the-air broadcasting. She says the conditions being sought are consistent with that pledge.
All Nippon considers new low-cost carrier
All Nippon Airways is considering establishing a new low-cost air carrier based at Kansai Airport near Osaka, Japan, for both domestic and international routes, industry sources said Saturday. ANA plans to peg the carrier’s international fares at about half those of major airlines, while one-way domestic fares would be priced at less than 10,000 yen—the same level as express buses. ANA aims to better compete with budget airlines in other Asian countries, which have been rapidly increasing their presence. ANA wants to begin operations of its low-cost carrier next fiscal year at the earliest, the sources said. The yet-to-be established subsidiary likely will have a different brand name than ANA, and its international routes mainly would service China and other Asian countries.
T-bill rates rise in Monday auction
The Treasury Department auctioned three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.115 percent, up from 0.065 percent last week. Six-month bills were auctioned at a discount rate of 0.17 percent, up from 0.15 percent last week. The discount rates reflect that the bills sell for less than face value. For a $10,000 bill, the three-month price was $9,997.09 while a six-month bill sold for $9,991.41. That would equal an annualized rate of 0.117 percent for the three-month bills and 0.173 percent for the six-month bills. Separately, the Federal Reserve said Monday that the average yield for one-year Treasury bills, a popular index for making changes to adjustable rate mortgages, fell to 0.3 percent last week from 0.33 percent the previous week.
Correction
The Air Force said Friday that the winner of the $35 billion refueling tanker contract won’t be able to start work until November. A story on Page D1 Saturday, which relied on quotes from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the Pentagon had delayed its date for deciding on the contract. Pentagon officials said they have not delayed the decision. Although they have not set a specific date, they have said that they will announce the winner this fall.
From Herald news services
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