Briefs

Comcast, the largest U.S. cable operator, is going to distribute new TV networks led by basketball hall of famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson and rap artist Sean “Diddy” Combs. Comcast committed to carry 10 new independent stations when it bought NBCUniversal in 2011. Combs’s station, “Revolt,” will air in 2013 with live performances and music videos. Johnson is joining forces with GMC, formerly the Gospel Music Channel, on a channel called “Aspire” aimed at black families. Two other stations will target Hispanics. Separately, Comcast is launching a service called Xfinity Streampix that, like Netflix, lets customers stream TV shows and movies on computers and mobile devices.

The world’s largest helicopter makers—Boeing, Sikorsky Aircraft, American Eurocopter, and Bell Helicopter —are looking to Asia, where militaries are upgrading their aging fleets. Tenders could generate sales worth $10 billion over three years, Eurocopter estimates, making Asia the world’s fastest-growing market for military choppers. Defense spending in the region rose 14 percent last year. An air show held in Singapore in mid-February is expected to usher in a string of new orders, starting with a $1.5 billion contract from India.