representatives from comcast and time warner cable will meet with us department of justice officials to discuss concerns raised by their planned $45billion merger, according to reports the meeting next wednesday would aim to negotiate possible  concessions addressing competition concerns created by the combination of the two cable giants,  staffers at both the justice department and the federal  communications commission remain concerned the combined company  would have too much power in the internet broadband market reps from comcast and time warner cable plan to meet with us department of justice officials on wednesday  there are also concerns the merged company and would have unfair competitive leverage against tv channel owners and businesses offering online video programming the proposed meeting will be the first time the cable companies have met with regulators since announcing their proposed  deal a year ago, the wall street journal reported on saturday representatives of the two companies and the justice  department did not immediately respond to reuters' requests for  comment on the journal report, which cited people familiar with the matter news of the planned meeting followed a report by bloomberg  on friday that staff attorneys at the justice department's  antitrust division were nearing a recommendation to block the  deal a spokesman for time warner cable questioned the bloomberg  report, saying on friday the company had been working  productively with both the doj and the fcc the meeting would aim to negotiate concessions related to antitrust concerns over their planned merger  a source close to comcast said on friday that discussions  with the doj had been positive and that the fcc was still gathering material  from companies, making it early for any discussion of conditions  for a deal the bloomberg report said justice department attorneys were  citing concerns for consumers as they lean against it and their  review could be handed in as soon as next week a final decision  would be made by senior officials time warner cable shares closed down 54 per cent at $14961  on the new york stock exchange on friday, while comcast shares  ended down 21 per cent at $5842 on nasdaq in its report on saturday, the journal said the doj and the fcc were nearing the final stages of  scrutinizing the deal discussions on potential remedies to  concerns would be an indication that the two agencies had not  yet made a firm or final decision on the merger, the paper said but it added the meeting could be the first of many and said  it was not clear whether the companies could offer concessions  that would satisfy the regulators
first 14961 5842 friday time warner wednesday comcast doj
reps from both cable giants will meet with doj officials on wednesday  first meeting companies had with regulators since announcing proposal  earlier reports said doj antitrust attorneys wanted to block the merger  officials fear the new company would dominate internet broadband market  time warner shares closed friday at $14961 while comcast was at $5842 