• Broadcasting & Cable, Sunday, September 13, 2009 9:38 PM

Several Wall Street analysts are suggesting it's time the media mergers and acquisition market got started again. Conditions are ripe. Political money is primed to kick start the ad markets and media stocks are relatively cheap with the potential upswings not yet priced into shares. This year could see a potential $1 billion windfall in election and issues money, and national spot pricing will be up between 6% and 12%, per TVB.

As for which deals might be first, Citigroup's media analyst Jason Bazinet has made the case for a Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger. J.P. Morgan's Stephen Tusa recently gave a report that laid out options for NBC Universal's future.

Scripps Networks is also often mentioned. Industry insiders point out that Scripps is soon to renegotiate its cable distribution contracts, and being part of a bigger cable group could give the lifestyle giant a little more leverage. "Scripps is going to be gone in six months," predicts one veteran Wall Street analyst.

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