Comcast takes over NECN, Kravetz out

Comcast today completed its long-anticipated buyout of broadcast partner Hearst, taking over sole ownership of New England Cable News and wasting no time announcing changes.

Longtime NECN president Charlie Kravetz is gone, signalling the end of an era. If founder Phil Balboni was the architect of NECN's surprisingly successful business plan, Kravetz was the builder. Dan Kennedy isn't sure what to think, but doubts it can be good.

Bill Bridgen, the executive vice president and general manager of Comcast Sportsnet New England, has taken over from Kravetz.

I'm on my way to a 2:30 news conference over at NECN HQ in Newton, more soon. We'll also be tackling this on on tomorrow's "Beat the Press" broadcast show.

UPDATE: We had a miscommunication with NECN, the "news conference" was actually a staff meeting - closed to the media - where the Comcast buyout will be officially announced to workers on the afternoon-evening shift. Sorry. No one from NECN is talking on the record, but Kravetz released a statement earlier in which he said “it has been an enormous privilege to launch NECN and help it grow into a respected and vital source of news for Boston and New England” and that he has “great faith that the future with Comcast will be bright.”