Indeed, Comcast's involvement is symptomatic of a broader trend in America's media business: consolidation between those who make music, movies and television programmes, and those who distribute them, whether via broadcast networks or, increasingly, via cable, satellite and the internet.

ECONOMIST: The MGM story takes another turn | The

This year, it will make nearly 4, 000 hours of foreign-language television programmes, compared with 1, 700 hours of English-language programmes.

ECONOMIST: Entertainment

And once they do, they will use their permanent Internet connections not only to shop, and receive their television and video programmes, but also to make all their telephone calls.

ECONOMIST: Japanese Telecoms