Lawmaker Urges Look at Cable a la Carte

[Gregg Lengling]

John McCain, the Arizona Republican and chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has recommended that cable operators consider allowing their customers to pick and choose the programming they receive.

In a letter sent to the nation's top cable operators, McCain said they should look at the carriage deal announced last week by Cablevision and Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES). The agreement with YES, which was missing from Cablevision's lineup last baseball season, allows viewers to get the channel through a sports package or on an a la carte basis.

"Although not a complete solution to the problem of skyrocketing rates, this agreement seems to be an important first step to lowering cable rates by providing consumers with more choice," McCain said in the letter.

He added, "I challenge you to provide your customers with similar choices, especially with respect to the most expensive programming, like sports, that continue to drive up cable rates."

According to reports, McCain sent the letter to executives at Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cox Communications and Adelphia.