Bloomberg TV remains stuck in channel line-up Siberia — and it wants to come in from the cold.
The owner of the business news cable channel has written a letter to federal regulators asking them to force Comcast to comply with a previous order to move Bloomberg TV closer to rival CNBC.
On 59 Comcast systems, CNBC, owned by the cable operator, is located much lower on the channel line-up — near higher rated channels, which is a more desirable location.
Bloomberg TV is located a hundred or so places higher.
Four months ago, the Federal Communications Commission, after Comcast’s acquisition of NBCUniversal, parent of CNBC, ordered the cable company to move Bloomberg TV into CNBC’s neighborhood as to not favor its own station.
But nothing has happened.
“Comcast should be directed to immediately neighborhood Bloomberg TV in all of those markets,” said Bloomberg in the letter to the FCC.
The FCC agreed in May that Bloomberg should be moved. But the regulator put a hold, or stay, on some parts of its decision to figure out what to do in cases where there wasn’t a vacant channel and how HD-lineups would be affected.
The prior discussions had pertained only to standard-definition line-ups.
Comcast has been arguing since the FCC order in May that it shouldn’t have to act retroactively to move channels already in certain slots.
In a statement, Comcast said it “continues to believe the [FCC] appropriately stayed aspects of its decision pending full Commission review in this case.”
Comcast shares closed yesterday up 0.1 percent to $35.30. They are up 49 percent this year.