Sources: Senate Seeks OVD, Contract Info

According to multiple sources, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is sending subpoenas to cable operators and other MVPDs seeking information, including program contract information, related to over-the-top video service.

One source said that information included video pricing, which would make sense given that the subcommittee majority includes long-time cable price critic John McCain (R-Ariz.) and the subcommittee's ranking minority member is Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who has criticized cable operators in the past over a variety of issues, including asking for anecdotal evidence from constituents and others about their cable complaints.

Sources said they thought McCaskill was a driving force behind the letters. A McCaskill spokesperson had not returned a call for comment at press time on whether she was seeking the information and, if so, what exactly she was looking for. Matt Owen, chief counsel for the subcommittee, had no comment.

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John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.