Comcast taps Charter CEO Smit to run cable operation

Comcast Corp. is also beefing up its executive ranks.

The cable giant has tapped tapped Neil Smit, an industry veteran who most recently was chief executive of Charter Communications as president of the company's Cable Communications unit. In other words, he will oversee the company's cable systems and broadband operations. With almost 25 million subscribers, Comcast is the nation's largest cable and broadband provider.

The hiring will free Comcast chief operating officer Steve Burke to focus on the company's pending deal to take a majority stake in General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. He will report to Burke.

Smit has been chief executive of Charter Communications, one of the nation's largest cable companies, since 2005. Before that he was a senior executive at America Online.

--  Joe Flint