Who says there is a credit crunch in this down economy?

General Electric has struck a deal with Vivendi to buy out Vivendi's share of NBC for $5.8 billion. The deal clears the way for GE to sell NBC Universal to Comcast which creates a major tremor in the media landscape.

Comcast is battling with satellite provider, DirecTV, over their rodeo-bull fighting-pro-cycling-NHL-hockey-channel called Versus saying that they want the same treatment that ESPN gets on the satellite provider in addition to other demands. DirecTV has responded by pulling Versus from their roster thus leaving hockey fans missing the best national games at a time when the NHL can not afford to be losing their fans. NBC covers national NHL games later in the season.

With NBC Universal in their arsenal, DirecTV will have no choice but to negotiate with competing Comcast or they will risk losing their number one position as a satellite content provider.