Boston ad agency Prime Communications asked the Department of Justice to
investigate alleged anti-competitive advertising practices at Comcast Corp., Dow
Jones reported.
Prime claimed that AT&T Broadband refused to sell it ad units after it
rejected an offer the MSO made to buy Prime's CableCar.com Web site.
Prime president Neal Bocian had urged the Federal Communications Commission
last year to place conditions on the merger of AT&T Broadband and Comcast in
order to prevent continued alleged anti-competitive practices. But the
commission approved the merger, saying Prime's dispute with the cable operator
was a matter for the courts.
CableCar.com competed against AT&T Broadband's service, Vehix.com. Bocian
alleged that AT&T Broadband approached him with an offer to buy CableCar.com
and, when he refused, retaliated against him by refusing to sell him cable
advertising for his clients.
The court is expected to rule by April 30 on Comcast's request to dismiss the
case.
