David Weigel at Bloomberg.com reports a PAC called Conservative War Chest, is arranging an ad buy against Comcast in five swing states – Florida, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The two-minute ad warns that Comcast is becoming “America’s most powerful and militant left-wing political force” and conservaitves should “fight the corruption of American journalism.”
"Comcast needs Obama administration approval to merge with Time/Warner cable, giving it access to two-thirds of American’s homes,” spokesman Mike Flynn said in a statement. “The last time Comcast needed a government favor we got Al Sharpton five nights a week. What will we get in exchange for a deal worth billions to Brian Roberts and other owners of Comcast?"
The ad campaign is going to be combined with outreach to the NBC Affiliates Association, local stations that will receive “a 68-page letter spelling out the history of recent media bias, with more than a few reminders of how the mother ship gave Al Sharpton a show.”
The aim is high: persuade NBC affiliates to run an anti-Comcast ad, what Weigel describes as "a typically florid montage of media miscues." They say it's urgent to "Stop Comcast from using NBC and MSNBC as a political assault and smear machine."
"Because we believe you understand the seriousness of America’s discontent with news organizations, we are also hopeful that we can persuade you that the network of which you are such an integral and conspicuous part is an important reason for the present crisis of American journalism," writes the CWC in the letter.
At one point in the letter, the CWC warns the affiliates that NBC, under pressure, might hire some token conservatives. "We hope the conservatives likely to be hired will do as well as Chelsea Clinton and her $600,000, or at least as well as whatever Mr. Matthews is paid for routinely smearing Republicans as racists," the letter reads.
Weigel noted Comcast's merger also has powerful left-wing foes, like Sen. Al Franken.
