Staff attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division are nearing a recommendation to block Comcast Corps. $45.2 billion proposal to merge with Time Warner Cable Inc., Bloomberg Business reports. Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that attorneys investigating the proposal are concerned that such a merger would harm consumers and they may submit their review against the merger as early as next week. The final decision will be made by senior officials. Block: Staff attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division are nearing a recommendation to block Comcast Corps. $45.2 billion proposal to merge with Time Warner Cable Inc. (stock image) As reports surface that the multi-billion-dollar deal may be blocked, a spokesman for TWC questioned the reports and told Reuters that the company has been working productively with both the DOJ and the Federal Communications Commission. 'We've had no indication from the DOJ that [the report] is true,' the spokesman said. The proposed collaboration of the two cable television companies, which have both suffered drops in shares recently, drew criticism from Comcast competitors and groups that oppose media consolidation, according to CNN Money. On Schedule: Just two months ago, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told Wall street analysts that officials are excited about the merger and the planning for regulatory approval was on schedule . The merger has been under extreme scrutiny since it was announced last February. If the deal is successful, Comcast would become the nation's leading cable and internet provider. And competitors fear that the deal would allow the company to unilaterally set programming prices for the entire industry, the LA Times reports. Just two months ago, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told Wall street analysts that officials are excited about the merger and the planning for regulatory approval was on schedule, according to the LA Times. However, a Comcast spokeswoman told CNN that the merger would result in 'significant consumer benefits.' 'These benefits have been essentially unchallenged in the record -- and all can be achieved without any reduction of competition,' she added. 'As a result, there is no basis for a lawsuit to block the transaction.' Productively: A spokesman for TWC questioned the recent reports saying that the company has been working productively with both the DOJ and the Federal Communications Commission . Time Warner Cable: Photographed is Time Warner Cable Inc. CEO Robert Marcus, who has held the position since January 2014 . On Friday, a group of companies, public interest groups, and associations wrote a letter to FCC Chair Tom Wheeler opposing the deal that would combine the nation's biggest and second biggest cable television operators. 'The combined company would, among other things: control over half of the high-speed residential broadband connections in the United States; dominate pay-TV across the nation; combine even stronger distribution muscle with NBC-Universal's 'must-have' video programming; and control critical advertising and set top-box inputs,' the letter stated according to Reuters. '... the Commission should reject this merger because it would result in too much power in the hands of one company.'
Attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department may reportedly block Comcast Corps. $45.2 billion proposal to merge with Time Warner Cable Inc.
Attorneys with the DOJ's antitrust division are concerned that the merger would hurt consumers .
Officials from both Comcast and Time Warner Cable have denied the reports .