Hasta La Creative!

The judiciary panel expressed concern over higher costs for consumers if a merger with Time Warner Cable were approved, but a Comcast executive downplayed the likelihood.

After making an $80 million investment, China Media Capital and FountainVest Partners will help the unit, China Imax, complete a public offering.

Comcast’s position that there will be no diminution of cable TV competition in its proposed takeover of Time Warner may be beside the point as Wednesday’s Senate hearing approaches.

The sale removes one of Barnes & Noble’s major backers as the company tries to navigate the changing landscape for books and media.

In a proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Charter said the risk of regulatory rejection of the merger made it in the interest of Time Warner Cable shareholders to turn down the deal.

The $500 million deal gives the Walt Disney Company an online video company with a subscriber base of 380 million.

Rob Marcus, who became chief executive of Time Warner Cable in January, will receive nearly $80 million if the deal to sell the company to Comcast closes.

The Justice Department official, William Baer, represented NBCUniversal during its takeover by Comcast and is therefore forbidden from considering the merger.

G Asset Management, a little-known investment firm, offered on Thursday to acquire 51 percent of Barnes & Noble in a deal that would value the bookseller’s shares at $22 apiece.

With Comcast proposing to buy Time Warner Cable, other companies that own cable networks are watching nervously, and may look to consolidate.