Comcast NBCUniversal

Most of the biggest television programmers have banded together in a new attempt to fix what they see as an audience measurement problem and promote competition to Nielsen, ending its stranglehold on the industry. Comcast NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, TelevisaUnivision and the VAB said Monday they formed a Joint Industry Committee so they can work together to set standards for measuring what they call premium video, which generates $70 billion in advertising revenue.

Wells Fargo media analyst Steven Cahall, a long-time Comcast bear, upgraded the cable company but cited growing problems at its NBCUniversal unit as tough times hit the media business. “We’re more aggressively cutting numbers at NBCU to bake in 7% annual sub declines, weakness in entertainment scatter ad pricing and peak losses at Peacock,” he said in a report.

NBCU Media revenue increased 3.6% to $5.3 billion, reflecting higher distribution revenue, partially offset by lower advertising revenue. Distribution revenue increased 8.4% to $2.7 billion, driven by increases at Peacock and contractual rate increases, partially offset by a decline in subscribers.

Mitch Rose, SVP of federal government affairs for Comcast NBCUniversal. has been named EVP and head of the company’s Washington. Rose succeeds Kathy Zachem, who is retiring after 13 years with Comcast NBCU.

The Department of Justice has decided against ramping up an investigation into Comcast’s seven-year-old acquisition of NBCUniversal — despite President Trump recently doubling down on his criticism of the tie-up as anticompetitive.