GE to buy Vivendi's 20% stakes

General Electric Co. has reportedly signed a pact with French telecommunication firm Vivendi to buy out its 20 per cent stake in NBC Universal for $5.8 billion, clearing the path for Comcast to take controlling stake in the TV and movie giant company.

GE, which already owns 80 per cent of NBCU, will sell majority stake to the largest US cable TV provider in a forward deal.

Comcast will buy into NBCU only after GE gets hold of Vivendi's stake.