Steve Burke, Brian Roberts address Comcast-NBC Universal troops

By SAM THIELMAN

Despite the thick blanket of snow covering Manhattan, it was a busy day at 30 Rock as CEO Steve Burke addressed the employees of the newly-merged Comcast/NBC Universal.

Company morale was clearly a priority: Employees received a gift box with a book on the newly merged company, 25 shares of stock, a pass for four to Universal Studios and a blank journal labeled "The Big Idea Book," as well as an open letter from Comcast topper Brian L. Roberts and a copy of this credo:

We are in business to create and deliver content so compelling it entertains, informs, and shapes our world.

We believe that the talent, creativity, and diversity of our people are our greatest resources. We emphasize teamwork because we are smarter, more dynamic and better together.

We believe in doing the right thing and treating people the right way. We think integrity and honestly are the foundation of a productive working environment. We take our business seriously, but do not take ourselves too seriously.

We are passionate about what we do and take pride in what we create. We have a pioneering spirit and are willing to take risks and embrace new technologies. We like to keep score and win.

As we grow our businesses together, we will not just anticipate the future, but rather create, invent and deliver it.

The new corporate strategy also decorated the elevator banks in the form of lobby cards with the text in white copy on a purple background.

Corporate also endeavored to drum up some excitement for Burke's address by holding a lottery for live attendance at the town hall (most people watched from their desks) or via in-house TV channels at the various NBCU properties. Not everything went as planned — new IDs were meant to be handed out today, but were put off until later due to last night's thunderous snowstorm.

The following is Roberts' letter to NBCU staff:

Dear Colleague:

Today marks the birth of the new NBCUniversal. Together, Comcast and NBCUniversal are poised to become the greatest media company in the world, delivering quality content to a global audience on every conceivable platform

We are incredibly excited about this opportunity. We're humbled, too, since we are keenly aware that NBC and Universal both have tremendous legacies, reaching back nearly a century.

Although only half as old, Comcast also has a proud history, having grown from a single system cable operator to the largest video and residential Internet service provider in the country.

As we embark on this adventure together, it seems like a good time to reflect on how we got here. That's why we put this book together. We hope you enjoy it and will be proud to be a part of what we've become.

The book is just one element of a gift package marking this occasion. Included is a certificate entitling you to 25 shares of stock in Comcast Corporation. Our hope is that you share ownership of this company and what we accomplish together.

You’ll also find a free pass for you and your family to one of the Universal theme parks — because we want you to get to know all our businesses, and have some fun, too.

And we’ve included what we’re calling “The Big Idea Book.” We’re a company founded on and driven by big ideas, and this gives you a place to record your own.

Last but not least, you’ll see a copy of the NBCUniversal Credo. This is, quite literally, what we believe. We hope you’ll agree, and come to see these as not just words but the distillation of a company culture that defines who we are, what we do, and how we do it.

NBCUniversal and Comcast are remarkable companies. Together, we will be even better.

Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation

Steve Burke, CEO, NBC Universal