Now that Comcast has abandoned its takeover of Time Warner Cable, the cable company can proceed with its long-planned move to take on YouTube and others with a national online video service offering short-form programs.
The proposed video service would mark a brand new chapter for Comcast, which would be able to play in a loosely regulated market, reach a national audience and possibly even make its service available outside the U.S. It also may be necessary move, given that younger viewers have been gravitating toward Web videos made by a new generation of artists. One purpose of the service is to add new types of shows to Comcast’s cable package, allowing people to watch them on TV screens.