Comcast Corp and General Electric Co are discussing a deal under which the largest U.S. cable company would take control of 51 percent of NBC Universal, with GE keeping the rest, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

As part of the deal, GE would buy the 20 percent of NBC it does not own from Vivendi, while Comcast would contribute programing assets and some cash, the source said.

But a deal is not imminent, added the source, who spoke anonymously because the discussions are confidential.

(Reporting by Anupreeta Das; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)