It's official: GE has sold 51% of NBC Universal to Comcast, for approximately $6.5 billion dollars in cash (what are the odds they'll use this as an excuse to raise my cable bill again?). It'll take about a year to go through the regulatory and anti-trust gauntlets, but after that, the cable giant will be in charge.

Everyone makes fun of NBCU because of the NBC's bumbling high-profile moves over the last half-decade or so, but the reason why the company was so attractive to Comcast was not the broadcast network, but its über-successful cable networks, especially Bravo and USA. Still, it's embarrassing to have your flagship net stumble around like a disoriented shopper on Black Friday. So, if I were in the Comcast executive suite, here's a few things I'd do to prop up the Peacock:

Dump money into developing shows and follow the cable model: The Jay Leno Experiment (sounds like the name of a college band) hasn't been an out and out failure, but it's been pretty darn close. Sure, NBC is likely making some money from the experiment, but the bad will that it's fostering with viewers is sapping viewers away from the rest of the network. If they want to get some of that goodwill back, they need to re-invest in programming.

"Well, duh!" you say. But sinking tons of money into grand failures like Kings is what got NBC into this mess to begin with. Maybe it's time for NBC to follow the successful model of its cable cousin USA: cheaper shows and shorter seasons. Develop more pilot-less shows and commit to showing them for the entire season. Get more shows that are produced outside of the United States. Reap the benefits of DVD sales.

If they're willing to get low ratings for Leno, why not get low ratings for something like White Collar or Burn Notice, and make money on the back end?

Give Jay Leno a daytime show: It can either be on the network or syndicated. But Leno and his shopworn bits might work well in a daytime environment. Heck, if Ellen DeGeneres and Bonnie Hunt can do well in daytime with a traditional comedy-based talk show, so would Jay.

Yes, you could go back in time and put Jay back at 11:30 and Conan at 12:30. But unringing that bell will not only tick off Conan -- they'd probably lose him before he goes back to the Late Night arena -- but it's a short-term fix. And this network is not in any shape to withstand more short-term fixes.

Give the 10 AM hour back to the affiliates: I know it's a painful thing to do; Hoda and Kathie Lee on Today get decent-enough ratings, and handing back a revenue-generating hour isn't easy. But I see this as a goodwill measure to the stations who have stuck with you, even as they saw their local newscasts' ratings sink due to your horrible primetime programming choices, including Leno. Let them put Dr. Oz or some other highly-rated show in that slot. If you're smart, your syndication arm will develop something just as compelling, and you'll get the money via rights fees.

Ditch the two-hour reality shows: This would only be able to happen after developing more programming. But there's really no need for the padded episodes of The Biggest Loser or The Celebrity Apprentice. Both those shows can be just as effective in an hour as they are in two, and using them as a lead-in might actually help whatever show you put at 9 PM.

Fire Jeff Zucker: People thought the sale would be the end of everyone's favorite failer-upper. But the guy does know how to make money, which I'm sure is the reason why he's staying in charge through the transition. But once things are established and going smoothly, it's time for another voice.

If you don't have the heart to fire him, bump him up to a more of an executive position. I'm sure his business acumen can translate to Comcast's other ventures. Heck, if he can somehow figure out how to make money and provide me an HD DVR for less than twenty bucks a month, I might actually like him again.