• New York Post, Monday, March 8, 2010 11:57 PM

Sanford Bernstein analyst Michael Nathanson has been upbeat about NBC Universal's competitive position against its peers in the press. But he hasn't mentioned that his brother-in-law is NBCU chief Jeff Zucker. Nathanson was quoted twice last week -- in a Sanford Bernstein colleague's research report and in a New York Times article -- promoting NBCU's worth without disclosing his family ties.

In a recent research report on Comcast written by colleague Craig Moffett, Nathanson said, "NBCU's portfolio of channels is likely somewhat underpriced relative to peers, which could provide additional support for solid price increases during negotiations." In a March 1 New York Times story about the troubles facing network news, Nathanson was bullish about NBC's survival over ABC and CBS. No one questions his capabilities; they note that his relationship to Zucker presents an ethical issue and analysts suggest he issue a disclosure when covering NBCU.

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