Sen. John McCain says in a Los Angeles Times editorial that his proposal to let consumers choose only the cable channels they want is a "common-sense" idea.
McCain's Television Consumer Freedom Act would allow consumers to buy only those channels they want to watch. Under the current system, cable providers "bundle" several stations and require customers to pay for all of them.
Critics of McCain's proposal, including cable companies and networks, say it would hurt smaller networks and prevent them from producing fresh programming. They also say it could ultimately lead to higher costs.
McCain conceded that his legislation faces an "uphill battle."