While we've been anticipating a possible deal since rumors started circulating in late September, yesterday's move by GE (the parent company of NBC) to buy Vivendi's stake in NBC for $5.8 billion cleared the way for the Comcast deal.
CNBC reports that:
"The deal would make NBCU 51 percent owned by Comcast and 49 percent owned by GE.
Currently, GE owns 80 percent of NBCU, which the two companies have valued at about $30 billion.
The deal includes the spinoff of NBC Universal and $9 billion in debt. It also includes the merger of Comcast's content assets and a $6 billion cash contribution."
An official announcement from the companies is expected on Thursday morning. Nonetheless, Bloomberg speculates that the deal "will draw scrutiny from Obama administration regulators who have said consolidation of US media companies may thwart competition."