The regulatory clearance earlier this week of the joint venture between Comcast and GE relating to NBC Universal has drawn widespread praise. A long list of public officials, community leaders, and others share our excitement about the opportunities this transaction will create for consumers, competition, and innovation in the areas of content and technology.

These expressions of support reflect a broad-based expectation that this transaction will benefit the public interest. We look forward to delivering on this terrific promise.

Here's a sampling of some of those comments:

"The DoJ and the FCC's 4 to 1 bipartisan approval of the Comcast-NBCU merger reflects a thoughtful effort to keep pace with advances in communications without sacrificing consumer protections. "

-U.S. Senator John Kerry (MA)

"We are glad Comcast can now get back to doing business and creating jobs..."

-U.S. Representatives Fred Upton (MI), Greg Walden (OR) & Lee Terry (NE)

"I am particularly impressed by the numerous significant public interest benefits that will soon accrue to communities of color. The deal's conditions encourage increased diversity in the companies' board rooms, in the executive suites, in their programming line-ups and in the growing area of online video. The deal also pinpoints an issue of great importance to me and to my constituents by addressing broadband deployment and adoption in underserved communities with real, measurable remedies."

-Louisiana State Senator Sharon Weston Broome, National Association of Black Elected Women

"The closing of the joint venture triggers the July 12, 2010, agreement between the Independent Film and Television Alliance and Comcast-NBCU, which will provide real opportunities for independent producers on the Comcast and NBC platforms, and increase the public's access to diverse programming."

-Independent Film & Television Alliance President-CEO Jean Prewitt

"At the end of the day, what is important is that Comcast and NBCU together have demonstrated a strong commitment to racial, ethnic and gender diversity and independent programming. We think this marriage will result in more content for more consumers across more platforms, and will make a great difference for the cause of diversity in the media industry as well as throughout our great nation." More

-Hilary Shelton, NAACP Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy

"I applaud the approval of this joint venture between Comcast and NBCU that will enable landmark commitments set forth in the Memorandum of Understanding they negotiated with key stakeholder groups in the [Asian American Pacific Islander] community."

-Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Chairman Furutani

"We applaud Comcast for their commitment to increasing diversity in the new entity and for signing these MOUs with our respective organizations." More

-Janet Murguia, National Council of La Raza

"The fulfillment of the commitments agreed to in the Comcast-NBCU transaction will have a direct impact on millions of Americans who will soon have the tools they need to be full participants in the modern economy."

-Ralph B. Everett, President and CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

The full list of supportive comments can be found here.