Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who chairs the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee, is calling on pay TV consumers to visit her website and log their complaints about their monthly bill.
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McCaskill (Source: mccaskill.senate.gov) |
"Above all other companies in all other industries in America, those that rank the worst in a survey of customer satisfaction are cable companies," read an announcement Thursday posted on McCaskill's site, headlined, "Frustrated with your cable or satellite bill?"
Sen. McCaskill, the announcement further reads, "is laying the groundwork for a new federal law aimed at bringing transparency and fairness to cable, satellite and other pay-TV billing practices--and she is starting by soliciting personal stories and tips from Missouri consumers."
Those with complaints are encouraged to log them in the "Submit Your Scam" comment box, on the front door of the Senator's site. McCaskill says consumers should point out the following: confusing channel lineup updates, broadband speeds or pricing; overbilling; excessive or erroneous equipment rental fees; and early termination charges.
Pay TV pricing transparency has been a battle cry of the broadcast TV industry, as it lobbies both ends of Congress in the runup to retransmission consent policy changes.
Pay TV companies, such as Suddenlink Communications, have responded to these calls by asking that broadcasters lay bare their wholesale content pricing.
For more:
- read this announcement
- read this Multichannel News story
Related links:
Retrans policy debate: Suddenlink's Kent says both sides should show pricing practices
Mediacom responds to TVFreedom: 'Broadcasters hiding the truth' on retrans
TV interest groups rise to fight the retransmission wars