NAB Statement on Proposed AT&T-DirecTV Merger

In response to the proposed merger of AT&T and DirecTV, the following statement can be attributed to NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton:

"AT&T's proposed merger with DirecTV demands a hard look in an increasingly consolidated broadband and pay television marketplace. It is hard to see how decreasing competitors in the pay TV marketplace -- while increasing regulatory restraints on local TV stations -- truly benefits consumers."