NBC Universal Fighting A La Carte Proposals At FCC

NBC Universal, a major cable TV programming supplier, is urging federal regulators to refrain from intervening in the "highly competitive" marketplace between program owners and pay-TV distributors. "There's no legal or factual basis for government intervention in private carriage negotiations. The public interest will not be served by government interference in his highly competitive marketplace," NBC Universal said in an FCC filing Monday. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has the agency reviewing various proposals, including one that would require cable programming suppliers like NBC Universal to allow pay-TV distributors to purchase channels on an unbundled or a la carte basis.